By Gab Chabrán for LAistOriginally published on Sept. 10, 2026Last month, street vending became a flashpoint during one of the recent debates for L.A. mayor when incumbent Karen Bass said, “I do not think that you should have a food vendor in front of a restaurant. Period,” drawing a comparison to unhoused encampments.
The remarks set off an almost immediate backlash. Mayoral candidate Nithya Raman, who has her own 9-point plan to support street vendors, said Bass “took a shot” at the street vending community and reiterated her commitment to work toward regulations and legalizing their operations.
Bass’s office later eased its stance, saying it had directed the LAPD to stop issuing criminal citations to street vendors — and to dismiss any that had been issued in error…