LA street food complaints have put vendor enforcement and public health back in the spotlight.
Nearly 10,000 public health complaints about Los Angeles County street food vendors are raising new questions about food safety, permits and enforcement.
A California Post report published by the New York Post said it obtained a 662-page file through a public records request. The report said the file included 9,746 complaints filed with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health from 2023 into early 2026.
Complaints Alleged Rodents, Unsafe Food And Poor Sanitation
The reported complaints included allegations of rodents near open condiments, cockroaches in food trucks, unrefrigerated raw meat and people urinating near cooking equipment.
One complaint near Hawthorne Boulevard alleged that workers had no hand-washing station and were not changing gloves. The complainant also alleged that a dog ate meat from a bag before the meat was served to customers.
Another complaint near Los Angeles International Airport alleged that salsa and condiments were left open near trash cans while mice ran nearby.
The records described in the report included case labels such as “closed,” “canceled” and “justified.” The report said it was not clear from the records what enforcement action, if any, followed in some cases.
Mayor’s Order Added To The Debate
The report comes days after Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass directed the LAPD to stop issuing criminal citations to street vendors.
The Los Angeles Times reported on August 27 that Bass’ office said police had wrongly issued criminal citations to vendors around MacArthur Park.
The mayor’s office said it was working to remove charges issued in error and asked LAPD to check whether the issue happened elsewhere in the city.
The order does not eliminate health and safety rules for food vendors. It centers on criminal citations, while food safety enforcement remains tied to public health rules and administrative penalties.
What LA Rules Require
The City of Los Angeles says anyone selling food or merchandise on city sidewalks or in city parks must obtain a Sidewalk and Park Vending Permit.
The city also says food vendors must obtain a Los Angeles County Public Health Permit, along with a city business tax registration certificate and a California seller’s permit, according to the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health says sidewalk food vendors are generally regulated as Compact Mobile Food Operations. The county says most vendors selling prepared or unpackaged food need a public health permit.
Some limited sales, such as prepackaged nonperishable foods or whole uncooked produce in a small space, may be exempt from a county health permit.
County Warns About Unpermitted Food
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health says unpermitted street food can pose health risks when food is stored, prepared or handled without proper equipment.
The department says food vendors need access to potable water, approved food sources, proper temperature control, sanitary equipment and restrooms when required.
The county says it responds to complaints about unpermitted street food and encourages residents to report unsafe operations with specific location and timing details.
California Law Decriminalized Sidewalk Vending
California’s Safe Sidewalk Vending Act decriminalized sidewalk vending in 2018. The Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity says the law allows local governments to adopt non-criminal rules to protect public health, safety and welfare.
The county says local authorities may still require permits, sanitary conditions and compliance with disability access rules.
That legal balance is now at the center of the Los Angeles debate: how to protect vendors’ livelihoods while making sure food sold on sidewalks is safe for the public.
Questions Still Remain
The reported complaint file raises questions about how Los Angeles County tracks complaints and how often enforcement follows serious allegations.
Public health officials have said unpermitted food vending can create real risks when food is not stored, cooked or served safely.
For customers, vendors and brick-and-mortar businesses, the issue is no longer just about street food culture. It is about whether Los Angeles can build a system that is legal, fair and safe.