Hollywood Chamber Voices Concerns as City's Economic Development Committee Considers Legalizing Sidewalk Vending in Los Angeles
July 10, 2015
Hollywood Chamber Voices Concerns as City’s Economic Development Committee Considers Legalizing Sidewalk Vending in Los Angeles
Throughout June, the Los Angeles City Office of the Chief Legislative Analyst held four community meetings throughout the City to solicit input from Angelenos on a possible program to legalize sidewalk vending in Los Angeles.
The Hollywood Chamber was on hand at each of the hearings to oppose any “one-size fits all approach” for the legalization of sidewalk vending in Los Angeles. “Hollywood Boulevard is the most famous street in the world and is home to some of LA’s most crowded sidewalks. With tens-of-thousands of visitors each day, Hollywood Boulevard is already struggling with an overabundance of mobile food-carts, cd-vendors, street characters, and tour bus solicitors and cannot afford the increase in the number of street vendors that legalization of sidewalk vending would undoubtedly bring,” stated Nicole Shahenian, Chamber Vice President of Public Policy. Shahenian continued, “The City, LAPD, and County departments that oversee vending do not have enough staff resources as is, to properly enforce existing vendors. Legalization of street vending will only serve to exacerbate an already out of hand problem in Hollywood and on the Walk of Fame.”
In addition to the public safety concerns with the legalization of street vending, the Chamber expressed concerns about the impacts of a city wide ordinance on Hollywood’s brick and mortar establishments. Shahenian explained, “Nearly all of Hollywood and East Hollywood lie within City approved Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), where property owners have voluntarily assessed themselves to maintain streets and sidewalks, trash cans, parking spots, restrooms, and provide security. Mobile vendors located within a Business Improvement District would unfairly reap all the benefits of the property owner’s improvements, without being required to pay the same assessment fees”.
The Chamber is asking its members to encourage the City to provide an “opt-out clause” for Business Improvement Districts. While street vending may be welcomed in some areas of the city, it is not appropriate in all areas and the City policy should account for that. Any City-wide policy on sidewalk vending should at a minimum, allow for an opt-out clause for Business Improvement Districts within the City- where property owners pay an additional assessment to keep their streets clean and safe.
The City Council’s Economic development Committee has established a website with further information on the sidewalk vending proposal. http://sidewalkvending.lacity.org/
Additionally comments on the sidewalk vending proposal can be sent to City Council staff at sidewalk.vending@lacity.org
About the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce – www.hollywoodchamber.net
For more than 94 years, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has provided leadership, business development resources, networking, and government affairs programs and services to keep the Hollywood business and residential communities safe, relevant and economically vital. Beth Marlis is the incoming Chair of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors 2015-16 and Leron Gubler is the President/CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
Throughout June, the Los Angeles City Office of the Chief Legislative Analyst held four community meetings throughout the City to solicit input from Angelenos on a possible program to legalize sidewalk vending in Los Angeles.
The Hollywood Chamber was on hand at each of the hearings to oppose any “one-size fits all approach” for the legalization of sidewalk vending in Los Angeles. “Hollywood Boulevard is the most famous street in the world and is home to some of LA’s most crowded sidewalks. With tens-of-thousands of visitors each day, Hollywood Boulevard is already struggling with an overabundance of mobile food-carts, cd-vendors, street characters, and tour bus solicitors and cannot afford the increase in the number of street vendors that legalization of sidewalk vending would undoubtedly bring,” stated Nicole Shahenian, Chamber Vice President of Public Policy. Shahenian continued, “The City, LAPD, and County departments that oversee vending do not have enough staff resources as is, to properly enforce existing vendors. Legalization of street vending will only serve to exacerbate an already out of hand problem in Hollywood and on the Walk of Fame.”
In addition to the public safety concerns with the legalization of street vending, the Chamber expressed concerns about the impacts of a city wide ordinance on Hollywood’s brick and mortar establishments. Shahenian explained, “Nearly all of Hollywood and East Hollywood lie within City approved Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), where property owners have voluntarily assessed themselves to maintain streets and sidewalks, trash cans, parking spots, restrooms, and provide security. Mobile vendors located within a Business Improvement District would unfairly reap all the benefits of the property owner’s improvements, without being required to pay the same assessment fees”.
The Chamber is asking its members to encourage the City to provide an “opt-out clause” for Business Improvement Districts. While street vending may be welcomed in some areas of the city, it is not appropriate in all areas and the City policy should account for that. Any City-wide policy on sidewalk vending should at a minimum, allow for an opt-out clause for Business Improvement Districts within the City- where property owners pay an additional assessment to keep their streets clean and safe.
The City Council’s Economic development Committee has established a website with further information on the sidewalk vending proposal. http://sidewalkvending.lacity.org/
Additionally comments on the sidewalk vending proposal can be sent to City Council staff at sidewalk.vending@lacity.org
About the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce – www.hollywoodchamber.net
For more than 94 years, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has provided leadership, business development resources, networking, and government affairs programs and services to keep the Hollywood business and residential communities safe, relevant and economically vital. Beth Marlis is the incoming Chair of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors 2015-16 and Leron Gubler is the President/CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.