Unlike almost every other major city, Chicago outlaws the sale of all prepared foods other than ice cream from carts, and it treats existing street vendors like criminals. As a result, tamale vendors in Little Village are ticketed repeatedly and some have even been arrested. Produce vendors are struggling to make ends meet, because they cannot sell fruits and vegetables that are ready to eat in neighborhoods that are crying out for healthy food options.
City Council’s prohibition on food carts means:
- The most affordable option for someone who wants to earn an honest living and provide for their family by selling traditional or innovative foods in the community is illegal.
- The most accessible business model for selling healthy ready-to-eat foods in food deserts is banned.
- City Council outlaws entrepreneurs who create diverse, vibrant, and safe public spaces, connect communities, and create jobs at a time when we need them most.
But there’s hope! The
Street Vendors Justice Coalition has proposed an ordinance that allows vendors to sell a wide variety of foods from carts and bicycles if the food is prepared and packaged in a licensed kitchen. The ordinance also makes it easier for produce stands to set up in locations underserved by grocery stores and allows them to sell pre-sliced fruits and vegetables. On May 28, Alderman Maldonado introduced this ordinance to City Council.
This is where we need your help! In order to ensure that this ordinance gets the support it needs in City Council, we need to show aldermen that people across Chicago support the legalization of street vending. Please sign our petition to show City Council that Chicagoans support legalizing street food and opening opportunities for thousands of Chicagoans currently operating or looking to start a food cart.
Street vendors are not criminals and shouldn’t be treated as such. Show your solidarity with street vendors and support this effort to encourage job creation and innovation by green businesses, enhance the cultural diversity and vibrancy of our public spaces, cultivate entrepreneurs selling healthy, ready-to-eat foods in neighborhoods underserved by groceries and restaurants, and build Chicago's reputation as a culinary capital!
