The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved an ordinance that allows street vendors to sell food cooked in their homes.
The board’s unanimous vote authorized the public health department to issue permits for home kitchens for food carts, wagons and stalls.
Supervisor Jackie Fielder introduced the legislation after vendors protested an ordinance passed earlier this year. Those regulations required vendors to buy more expensive carts or to use commercial kitchens that can charge monthly rents of $1,000 or more.
Under the new rules, the public health department will create a program to inspect and certify home kitchens. The program, called Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKO), is authorized by state legislation and is already running in many Bay Area counties. The annual fee of $828 will provide a more affordable path for vendors. Proponents of the measure believe the new program will strengthen the city’s diverse cuisine, particularly in the Mission District.
