With illegal street vending being an issue in Anaheim and across Orange County, officials are enforcing permitting and educating vendors on how to obtain licensing. Hetty Chang reports for the NBC4 News on Feb. 14, 2024.
Nearly all street vendors in Anaheim are operating illegally.
City officials like Anaheim staffers are working with the Environmental Health Agency to enforce permitting, but the lack of permits is an issue throughout all of Orange County.
Vendor Pablo Garcia, who says he makes up to $180 a day selling fruits and “elote," Mexican street-style corn, has been street vending for three years without a permit.
Garcia says the process to obtain a permit is difficult, and he doesn’t think he’ll be approved.
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Garcia is not the only street vendor in Anaheim without a proper permit. As of now, no vendor is operating legally within city limits, according to Anaheim officials.
“We have about half a dozen applicants going through the plan check process,” OC Environmental Health Interim Director Darwin Cheng said.
As officials warn people that it is illegal to open up food stands that handle raw meat on the site, like the taco stands that are popping up in the city of Lake Forest, safety for pedestrians is another concern with vendors blocking the sidewalk.
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Anaheim Code Enforcement was out in the city on Wednesday to expand its outreach and educate vendors on how to apply for proper permits.
“It’s something we want to make sure the public knows,” Cheng said. “The education part — what it requires to come into our office and apply for a permit, and do it safely to serve the community.”
Orange County officials urge potential street vendors to apply for legal permits on the Orange County Health Agency website, which explains requirements and application process in English, Spanish and other languages.
