December 30 - January 27, 2023
LA Street Vendors Sue City Over Ban on Selling in Prohibited Zones Including Venice Beach Lawsuit seeks to end the no vending zones such as Venice Beach By Dolores Quintana When the California Legislature passed SB-946 and Governor Jerry Brown signed it into law in 2018, many Californians, including street vendors, breathed a sigh of relief. To many, it seemed as if street vending was completely legal. However, this was not entirely the case and that’s why two street vendors, Merlin Alvarado and Ruth Monroy, and three local community groups, Community Power Collective, East LA Community Corporation, and Inclusive Action for the City, have filed suit against the City. The Los Angeles City Council passed Ordinance #185900 which seemed to support SB-946 two months later. According to the lawsuit filed by the plaintiffs, former City Council member Gil Cedillo endorsed the legalization of street vending and said, “Our street vendors, our immigrants from throughout the world, come here and want to share their culture, their cuisines . . . this ordinance is our first great leap to embody that.” after the vote to approve the ordinance.
Not to be outdone, former City Council member Mitch O’Farrell said that passage of the City Council ordinance “lift[ed] this shroud of fear in our street vending communities surrounding enforcement.” However, the City Council banned street vending in eight crucial high-pedestrian traffic areas, named in the suit. These “no vending” zones where all sidewalk vending is prohibited within a 500-foot buffer area around many of the City’s most vibrant and iconic retail venues, including the Venice Boardwalk, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Dodger Stadium (later expanded to include all of Elysian Park), the Hollywood Bowl, Staples Center/LA Live and the LA Coliseum.” These rules were extended to“ impose a similar 500-foot “no-vending” zone around all farmers’ markets, swap meets, filming operations, outdoor concerts, and parades anywhere in the City, as well as schools (including certain postsecondary educational facilities), and limit sidewalk vendors to occupying only a narrow five foot wide (or less) “vending area” adjacent to the street and not “in front of any building.” Senate Bill 946 included a standard for local governments would need to abide by to ban street vendors, namely they would have to justify these bans based on “objective health, safety, and welfare concerns.” and specifically noted that “perceived community animus” nor an “effort to
shield local merchants from “economic competition” from vendors.” would fit the requirements of those standards. According to the City Council, these no-vending zones were established to prevent “overcrowding on sidewalks, which results in pedestrians walking in the streets.” The plaintiff argues, via a press release, that the city failed to identify any facts, data or documentation to support this assertion.” Matthew T. Heartney, Senior Counsel with Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP said, “The city did not adopt its sidewalk vending ordinance in a vacuum,” and that the legislation, “limits local government restrictions on most sidewalk vending unless shown to be ‘directly’ required to safeguard ‘objective health, safety, or welfare concerns.’” He added, “we combed through the city’s records in adopting its ordinance, and could find no pedestrian data or safety documentation to support its unjustified ban on sidewalk vending in key neighborhoods.” Vendor Merlín Alvarado said, per the press release, “I have worked along Hollywood Boulevard for almost seven years, serving hungry visitors and contributing to this unique tourist destination. In return, I have been consistently chased, harassed, and ticketed by the City for running an honest business.” This lawsuit seeks to end the no vending zones, restrictions on vending near farmer’s
Photo: Sam Catanzaro
markets, swap meets, and temporary events in addition to an end to the narrow strip regulation placed on vendors in areas where they are allowed to sell their food. Monica Mejia, President & CEO of East LA Community Corporation, said per the press release, “Any possible justification for these restrictions went out the window when the city established its outdoor Al Fresco dining program in 2020. Those rules authorize restaurants to erect permanent dining infrastructure covering much of the sidewalk in no-vending zones like Hollywood Boulevard, while vendors must remain 500 feet away from these popular tourist attractions. It’s hypocritical,
Vendors Sue City, see page 4
Willie Mae’s Officially Opens in Venice Legendary New Orleans fried chicken restaurant now open for inperson dining By Dolores Quintana Willie Mae’s Venice has officially opened as of December 9. The New Orleans-based restaurant’s newest location is at 324 Lincoln Blvd. The granddaughter of Willie Mae, Kerry Seaton Stewart said, “The opening of Willie
Mae’s Venice has been great! We are so happy to be serving our guests in our full-service dining room. We look forward the what the future brings.” Per the press release for Willie Mae’s, “Willie Mae’s Venice will feature a Louisianainspired dining room where guests can enjoy the restaurant’s full menu which is highlighted by The Taste of New Orleans offering the ability to try two pieces of Willie Mae’s signature bone-in fried chicken, tasters of three iconic sides including gumbo, and of course cornbread. In addition to bone-in fried chicken, the menu will also include baked chicken and chicken tenders along with guest favorite sides – red beans, butter beans, mac & cheese, mashed
potatoes and gravy, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and yams.” The press release also tells the story of Willie Mae’s and how the restaurant came to Los Angeles, “The James Beard Awardwinning restaurant is led by Willie Mae’s great-granddaughter Kerry Seaton-Stewart who has been at the helm since 2007. Guests visiting the Venice location will often find Kerry in the dining room or in the kitchen, furthering her family’s legacy of famous fried chicken and great Southern hospitality. The Los Angeles Willie Mae’s team also includes Lowell Sharron (HiHo Cheeseburger, UOVO and Matū), Kerry’s husband Mike Stewart, as well as Jerry Greenberg (Sushi Nozawa Group, HiHo Cheeseburger, UOVO, and Matū).”
Photo: Facebook (@WillieMaesNOLA)
Willie Mae’s is also available for catering, in-store to-go orders as well as nationwide shipping on Goldbelly.