RICHMOND — The warm scent of pupusas, burgers and more wafted within the air Thursday as city and county officials celebrated the grand opening of a program designed to offer food vendors the support they should survive in an environment of high costs and complaints to thrive brick-and-mortar business owners.
The ribbon cutting ceremony was held on the corner of Macdonald Avenue and Marina Way, where a brand new food vendor initiative will likely be held in a parking zone every Thursday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Surrounding the venue are government offices, the Richmond BART station and the Kaiser Permanente Richmond Medical Center – all busy facilities. City and Contra Costa County staff hope to attend the twice-weekly event.
“This will be successful if we all contribute, so please spread the word,” said Vice Mayor Claudia Jimenez.
A complete of 33 vendors have registered up to now within the so-called Mobile Vendor Plaza program, said Tom Cloman, founding father of the Richmond Certified Farmers' Market. Under this system, and with support from city and county health departments, vendors at the moment are in control after traditional business owners complained that some were operating in Richmond without proper permits and licenses.
In the second phase of this system, Cloman said vendors will receive support in constructing the back end of their business, including marketing strategies and financing plans.
“Growth is accelerating,” Cloman said Thursday, noting that more providers will soon be added. “We know it’s going to be great because it started off great.”
Some street vendors see this system as a savior after struggling to operate in the town.
Elizabeth Mijango has been selling pupusas and tacos in Richmond for eight years. She emigrated from El Salvador in 1973 when she was just 18 and worked as a nanny for many years before retiring in her early 60s. The now 70-year-old began a street vendor business to support herself until she retired.
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It wasn't all the time easy running her small business. Mijango was often approached by city officials asking if she had obtained the right permits and licenses. The slim profit margins made finding these documents a challenge, and the sudden death of her 50-year-old daughter, Siomara, compounded her problems.
“It was difficult. (Licenses and permits) cost money and I had no money,” Mijango said.
Now, Mijango said she is blissful with the longer term of her company.
The Mobile Vendor Plaza program was proposed earlier this 12 months to balance the needs of street vendors with those of brick-and-mortar business owners who were frustrated by the double standards of some vendors.
While some street vendors hogged public space, blocking sidewalks, leaving messes and operating without proper documentation, seemingly with none oversight or consequences, businesses operating inside buildings weren’t subject to inspections, fines and possible closures, based on frustrated vendors and residents but not to say the excessive overhead costs.
The Richmond City Council addressed these concerns and passed a street vendor policy in July that seeks to legitimize these businesses by making them comply with health and safety laws.
Vendors who once blocked sidewalks must now stay in areas that allow 4 feet of distance for pedestrians. You must even be no less than 1.5 meters away from the doorway to a brick-and-mortar store. Tables and chairs for eating are prohibited. Setting up in parking spaces, which is commonly a significant need for visitors, can be prohibited.
Licensed providers who fail to comply with the order risk a wonderful of $100 for the primary violation, $200 for the second, and $500 for every subsequent violation. Those with out a permit face a wonderful of $250 for the primary violation, $500 for the second and $1,000 for every subsequent violation.
Senate Bill 946, a 2018 law decriminalizing street vending, allows jurisdictions to adopt regulations, but outright bans violate state law. The city's ordinance doesn’t require confiscating devices from providers who violate city policies, however the Contra Costa County Health and Human Services Department could still accomplish that if public safety is in danger.
The Mobile Vendor Plaza program was intended to act as a carrot, enticing small businesses to cooperate with the brand new policy and in return receive assistance in filing paperwork and paying associated fees. It also provides access to a chosen lot and other city-supported resources similar to tables, restrooms and lighting several times per week.
Richmond Councilman Cesar Zepeda said he hopes this system will proceed to develop and grow, possibly expanding right into a each day event with live music. Now, visitors to the proposed location can expect to see booths offering jerk chicken, burgers, Asian fusion cuisine, pupusas, funnel cakes, waffles and other options.
“A lot of people saw the challenge of having vendors on the street,” Zepeda said Thursday. “We turned these challenges into a great, tasty opportunity.”
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