City of San Diego proposes new street vendor law, immigration advocates concerned

Remember Donald Trump warning that, unless it acted, the United States could see “taco trucks on every corner.”  Before that, many sought to ban the use of leaf blowers.  Latina/o immigrants arguably were in the crosshairs of both efforts.  

Jacob Aere for KPBS report on the latest proposal of this type.   He writes

“Street vending became legal under a 2018 state law aimed at encouraging a new class of small entrepreneurs among California’s low-income residents.

But in San Diego, the journey to legally selling goods from a public park or on the street is not yet complete.

In the city’s latest proposal on sidewalk vending, there would be new limits on street vendors, from where they operate, to the months they can do business.”

The proposed ordinance includes limits to street vending in some communities during summer months, and year-round in certain parts of popular tourist areas.

“For us, street vending is a matter of economic equality, of equity, for these people,” said Dulce Garcia, executive director of the nonprofit organization Border Angels. She said many immigrant families survived the pandemic by turning to street vending. “This is an issue that we know disproportionately affects Black and brown communities. And even more vulnerable within that subsection is our undocumented community,” Garcia said.

KJ