HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence- #16 Middleton, Samuel
From: Mai Do <mai@harborinstituteoc.org>
Sent: Monday, March 6, 2023 3:41 PM
To: eComment
Subject: Concerns with Agenda Item #16
Attachments: HI_Agenda_16_Mar_7_2023.pdf
Dear Mayor Amezcua and Santa Ana City Councilmembers,
On behalf of the Harbor Institute for Immigrant and Economic Justice, I write to express concerns regarding
Agenda Item 416 for the March 7, 2023 Santa Ana City Council meeting.
We understand concerns about ensuring that food entrepreneurs operate legally and safely. With the passage of
SB 972 last year, the City and County now have new opportunities to collaborate to ensure street food vendors
are operating legally and safely. SB 972 has only been in effect for about two months, and Counties are still
in the process of beginning to implement its provisions.
Since CMFO permitting remains the County's responsibility, we urge the City to 1) work alongside the
County to facilitate timely implementation of SB 972 and ensure local street food vendors are made
aware of and can access the County permitting process once the compact mobile food operation (CMFO)
permitting process is developed, and 2) consider establishing a municipal sidewalk vending permitting
program, as well as outreach and assistance for such permitting, to ensure that the street food vendors
who work across the city, especially the many who are local residents, operate with the proper health
permits and are incorporated into the local formal economy while awaiting the establishment of the
County CMFO permitting program which may take some time.
Please see the attached letter.
Thank you,
Mai Nguyen Do
Mai Nguyen Do
Policy & Research Analyst
Harbor Institute for Immigrant and Economic Justice
i
HARBOP
INSTITUTE
FOR IMMIIGRANT&ECONOMIC JUSTICE
Attn:Mayor Valerie Amezcua,Mayor Pro Tern Jessie Lopez,Councilmember Thai Viet Phan,Councilmember
Benjamin Vazquez,Councilmember Phil Bacerra,Councilmember Johnathan Ryan Hernandez,Councilmember
David Penaloza.
March 6,2023
Santa Ana City Council
20 Civic Center Plaza,Santa Ana, CA 92701
Re:Agenda Item#16
Dear Mayor Valerie Amezcua and Santa Ana City Council Members,
We write to express concerns about the City Council's potential adoption of a resolution regarding sidewalk food
vending and amendments of SB 946 (Lara) and 972 (Gonzalez).Supporting food entrepreneurs of all types,from
brick-and-mortar restaurateurs to sidewalk food vendors, is critical to maintaining a vibrant, inclusive economy and
to advancing health and economic justice, particularly among historically excluded populations such as immigrant
women of color.
We understand concerns about ensuring that food entrepreneurs operate legally and safely.With the passage of
SB 972 last year,the City and County now have new opportunities to collaborate to ensure street food vendors are
operating legally and safely.SB 972 has only been in effect for about two months,and Counties are still in the
process of beginning to implement its provisions.
Since compact mobile food operation (CMFO) permitting remains the County's responsibility,we urge the City to 1)
work alongside the County to facilitate timely implementation of SB 972 and ensure local street food vendors are
made aware of and can access the County permitting process once the CMFO permitting process is developed,
and 2)consider establishing a municipal sidewalk vending permitting program,as well as outreach and assistance
for such permitting,to ensure that the street food vendors who work across the city,especially the many who are
local residents,operate with the proper health permits and are incorporated into the local formal economy while
awaiting the establishment of the County CMFO permitting program which may take some time. Local food
entrepreneurs should not have to wait on bureaucracy to be able to contribute legally and safely to the economy.
Given Santa Ana's vibrant culture of food entrepreneurship,we urge the City to consider developing its own
permitting program, guidance, or other assistance to mitigate costly punitive enforcement against and denigration
of street food vendors.After all, rhetorical vilification of street food vendors for lacking proper permits fails to ensure
they obtain the permits needed to avoid such situations in the first place.
We also remain concerned that continued rhetoric from the City Council framing street food vending as being
inherently oppositional to community health and safety only serves to advance the exclusion of local immigrant
and refugee communities rather than their positive incorporation. If the City's primary goal is to promote health and
safety among food entrepreneurs of all types,we are optimistic that pursuing proactive,supportive measures to
incorporate street food vendors into the local formal economy will be more effective and sustainable than punitive
enforcement or targeted rhetoric.
Sincerely,
Mai Nguyen Do
Policy& Research Analyst
The Harbor Institute for Immigrant and Economic Justice