Los Angeles is weighing whether to formally reinstate a moratorium on ticketing unpermitted vendors who sell hot dogs, elote and other street foods on its sidewalks, reversing a decision made in the early days of the pandemic.

Under the proposal, the city would not issue citations to food vendors who lack permits, focusing instead on education and outreach to vendors.

In their proposal, council members Nithya Raman and Curren Price argued that with restaurants now allowed to set up outdoor dining, it is time to reinstate an earlier moratorium on such citations for vendors. Price said sellers would still need to follow other rules that outline where vending can occur but would not be fined for lacking a city permit.

At a Tuesday meeting of a council committee focused on economic development, however, Councilman Bob Blumenfield questioned whether the move would be purely symbolic. Streets officials said they had not cracked down aggressively on vendors for lacking permits, instead focusing on other violations.

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