It has been revealed that hygiene complaints regarding street food vendors throughout Los Angeles, including Koreatown, have neared 10,000 over the past three years. Particularly shocking are the cases emerging, ranging from reports of selling meat previously eaten by dogs back to customers, to rats and cockroaches roaming around food, and meat and sauces being left out in the hot sun for extended periods. According to data from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health obtained by the California Post through a Freedom of Information Act request on the 29th, a total of 9,746 public health complaints related to street food vendors were received from 2023 to early 2026. In particular, the concentration of street vendors in the Pico-Union area, which includes LA’s Koreatown, was cited as a representative example of the current situation. Pico-Union is an area located south of Olympic Boulevard along Vermont Avenue, a major thoroughfare in Koreatown, and is currently a hub for street vending and informal economic activity.
It is estimated that over 120 street vendors are currently clustered in the “El Salvador Corridor” within this area. A report was filed regarding a taco stand near Hawthorne Boulevard in South LA alleging that employees lacked a place to wash their hands and were not properly changing their gloves. The complainant specifically claimed that “the owner continued to serve meat to customers even though a dog was eating from a bag.” This complaint was closed without any specific action being taken. Near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), a report was filed alleging that salsa and various sauces were left open next to a trash can, and that rats were roaming around the area.
This complaint was classified as “canceled.” In Venice Beach, a report was filed alleging that hot dogs, buns, and sauces were being “heated in the sun all day,” and the complaint was classified as “valid.” The problem is that it is unclear what actual action was taken in response to such complaints. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health stated that it has shifted its focus from cracking down on unlicensed street vendor operations to targeting large-scale organizations that manage multiple stall operations from behind the scenes. Critics also point out that the number of permits is woefully insufficient compared to the scale of the street vendor population. While it is estimated that approximately 50,000 street vendors operate in Los Angeles, there were only 687 valid vendor permits as of September 2024. Of these, only 53 were permits for selling food.
To operate a street stall in Los Angeles, a city permit is required, and if food is sold, an LA County public health permit must also be obtained. The county is responsible for food hygiene, while city authorities are responsible for regulations regarding operating locations and methods. Amidst this, concerns are growing about a weakening of enforcement after Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass recently ordered the LAPD not to issue criminal tickets, even to unlicensed street vendors. Mayor Bass maintains that she “firmly supports street vendors.” The business sector is also raising issues of fairness. Stuart Waldman, president of the Federation of Los Angeles Business, pointed out that while regular restaurants can face suspension for failing to comply with hygiene regulations, some street vendors operate without even restrooms or refrigeration facilities, stating that the situation is “much more serious than thought.”
On the other hand, there are also calls to strengthen licensing and hygiene inspections and provide designated locations where vendors can operate legally, rather than eliminating street vendors altogether. In particular, it is argued that food safety standards and enforcement must be applied consistently to ensure the coexistence of street vendors and established stores.