Santa Monica Police Officers arrest a fruit vendor at Santa Monica Beach on Sunday, January 23, 2022. Her vending cart was also impounded,

Los Angeles County Health Deputies confiscated fruit from many street vendors. Fruit cannot be cut at the cart. The fruit must be already cut and in sealed containers. Melons are prohibited. Santa Monica Code Enforcement Officers issued several citations.

Today's multi-department task force consisted of Los Angeles County Health Deputies, Santa Monica Police Officers, Santa Monica Fire Chief Wolfgang Knabe, Santa Monica Code Enforcement Officers, Santa Monica Fire Code Enforcement Officers, Public Works employees, and private security guards.

The newly formed task force has been instrumental in helping to educate and enforce the City’s safety laws and ensuring safe sidewalk vending practices across the City.

According to information from the City of Santa Monica website https://www.santamonica.gov/topic-exp... ; Santa Monica was one of the first cities in the state to develop a permitted vending program. The City's comprehensive program that has allowed permitted or licensed vendors to operate for over 30 years includes permitting processes and parameters for safe vending, and today over 150 vendors are legally permitted to vend in the city. In 2018, the state law changed with the “Safe Sidewalk Vending Act” (SB 946) to provide important entrepreneurship and economic opportunities to low-income and immigrant communities.

State and local laws guide safe vending practices and standards in Santa Monica. All vendors need a City of Santa Monica business license and if applicable, a vending permit to sell any items in the City, and vendors selling food must also obtain and display a Los Angeles County Department of Public Health permit. The permit requirements reflect Santa Monica’s commitment to balancing public health and safety with expanding opportunities for micro-entrepreneurs.

Vendors are encouraged and welcome in many sidewalk locations throughout the City. In particular, sidewalk vendors are encouraged to vend on the sidewalk along Colorado Avenue between the Expo Light Rail Line (4th Street) and Ocean Avenue (top of the Santa Monica Pier).