Street vendors, advocates worry new ordinance could put them out of business

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — On Tuesday, a new ordinance begins that many believe will make it difficult for street vendors to survive.

On Tuesday, they will have new restrictions in Clark County to be able to operate.

One is that they won’t be able to operate in the Strip corridor.

“What they’re doing is trying to provide food on the table for the families,” said Jose Rivera.

Rivera and Make the Road Nevada fought last year for legislation to legalize street vending.

But he says the new ordinance is costly and unaffordable to many.

MORE ON NEWS 3 | Health permit requirements for Street Vendors in Clark County

“What I last heard was that it would cost about $150 for a health permit plus the $863 for the business license part not mentioning other licensing requirements that may be required turning the licensing processes,” said Rivera.

Outside of the licensing and permits, here are some other requirements:

You have to have a hand-washing station.

Vendors cannot run from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. unless they are located at a construction site.

They also cannot operate within 500 feet of a school or park.

Rivera says the law is too restrictive.

“Where are these vendors going to sell? At the end of the day, they’ve been selling that these places. These are the areas where families expect vendors to be,” he said.

If the vendor prepares food on the cart, they have to use commercial equipment.

None of the food can be prepared at home.

This is a concern for one vendor who didn’t want to be identified.

News 3 spoke with him through a translator.

“I don’t think they would let us bring our product how we bring it now but if you say we need to cook it here, well then things get a little complicated,” the vendor said.

He says his business pulls in about $150 a day.

That’s what he would make in an entire week when he had a cart in Mexico.

His main worry is understanding how to get the permits and licensing completed.

“We simply need someone to orient us on how things are done. All we want is to be good and do things right. We just want to follow the law,” he said.

But Rivera says, unlike this vendor, many have told him they may continue business as is because they just cant meet all the demands and rely on this income to survive.

“From one side we’re hearing that regardless of what the county is proposing on the price tag of these permits, they’re going to continue selling their produce the way they’ve done this whole time without the permits,” said Rivera.

A vendor could be fined $500 per violation.