City to give out 40 food carts to street vendors; here’s how to apply

In the competitive world of street vending — hawking horchata, fruit and hot dogs — any extra hand goes a long way.

The city of Long Beach is now accepting applications by eligible street vendors in need of a food cart .

It’s the next phase in the city’s “Sidewalk to Success” program, meant to reward vendors in Long Beach who follow the rules to creating a legitimate business, from paying the necessary fees to securing a license.

As part of its first phase, the city agreed to waive fees for business licenses, insurance up to $450 and health permits for first-year street vendors through February 2025. Fourteen vendors have so far received financial aid through this program, officials said.

Now the city is setting aside more than $400,000 to provide up to 40 free carts, all of which meet local rules for health and safety.

“The Sidewalk to Success program has supported our local micro businesses with important financial incentives and resources that will help them better serve our community,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. “Through this next step of our program, we will offer eligible sidewalk vending entrepreneurs in our city the boost they need to get their business off the ground.”

Applicants will have a choice among four types of carts, including: fruit carts with coolers; grilled foods such as hot dogs, burritos and tacos; tamales or prepackaged foods; and carts for serving ice cream.

Carts are provided and delivered to awarded applicants by Central Commissary, Inc. and Revolution Carts, as part of a $429,500 contract the city approved in January. In order to help focus on “low and moderate income areas,” the first three months of the program will give priority to applicants living in areas that receive community block grant funding, typically reserved for low income and underserved neighborhoods.

“Those not living in priority areas are still encouraged to apply early to reserve their place in line when the program opens to all applicants,” a release stated.

In order to qualify, one must live and work in Long Beach. They must also be a micro-business, meaning they have no more than two full-time employees and operate only one cart.

They must have already applied and be near completion for a health permit, business license and insurance coverage.

The announcement comes as Long Beach enters its first year with heightened rules around sidewalk vending. Under the City’s Sidewalk Vending Ordinance, street vendors must have the necessary permits and licenses to operate, or face strict penalties.

Officials said they have spread the word on the program, and the local ordinance, through a series of community forums — webinars and park meetings they held largely in the spring.

Gabriel Lunes, who helps runs an unassuming tamale stand outside the Pike Court in Downtown, said he had never heard of the program. It’s not his business, he said, but he would be interested. The cart he was running, while not in derelict shape, was purchased in used condition on Facebook Marketplace.

“This is not a cheap business to get into,” he said.

A new cart costs between $9,800 and $12,700 each, city officials said.

For those interested in applying, visit the link . For more information on the needed permits and licenses, click here or call the Health Department at 562-570-4132 or email he-sidewalkvending@longbeach.gov.

Staff will be available by phone, via video conference or in person and offer English, Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog and other languages upon request.

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