The City of Long Beach has launched the next phase of its Sidewalk to Success program and is now accepting applications for its initiative to award food carts to eligible street vendors. The Sidewalk to Success program, which provides compliance assistance while easing the financial burden on small businesses during the first year of the city’s sidewalk vending ordinance, will provide up to 40 free carts to local street vendors who meet the participation requirements.

“The Sidewalk to Success program has supported our local micro-businesses with important financial incentives and resources that will help them better serve our community,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “With this next step in our program, we will provide eligible entrepreneurs offering sidewalk food vendors in our city with the boost they need to get their business off the ground.”

Applicants can choose between four car types, including:

• Fruit trolley with cool boxes (for serving cut fruit).
• Grill food truck (for serving already cooked meat such as hot dogs, packaged and labeled burritos or tacos, etc.).
• Tamale cart (for serving pre-packaged/hot foods).
  Ice cream truck.

To qualify for a free shopping cart, applicants must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:

• Live in Long Beach and drive the car in the city.
• Be a micro-enterprise (defined as a business with no more than two full-time employees).
• Only operate one car, including the car you are applying for.
• Fill out the application for a business license.
• Complete the Compact Mobile Food Operation Health Permit Application.
• The Free Shopping Cart Application consists of three parts: the Business License Form and Preparation Checklist; the Plan Submission and Menu Checklist; and the Final Approval Checklist. Depending on your business plan, additional forms may be required, such as a restroom agreement. More information on how to apply for a Free Shopping Cart and all application materials can be found on the program website.

For assistance with the requirements to apply for a health permit, applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Health Department at 562.570.4132 or [email protected]. Food permit program staff will work with prospective vendors by phone, video conference or in person in English, Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog and other languages ​​upon request. Those needing assistance with business license requirements can email [email protected] or call 562.570.7852. Technical assistance is also available through the Economic Development Department’s Inclusive Business Navigators Program, which provides free technical assistance, workshops and business coaching/consulting services to small businesses in Long Beach. Assistance is available in multiple languages ​​at longbeach.gov/biznavigators or call BizCare at 562-570.4BIZ (4249) for a referral.

To expand economic opportunity for low- and moderate-income areas, priority will be given to applicants living in designated priority areas receiving Community Development Block Grant funding during the first three months of the free cart program. Those not living in priority areas are still encouraged to apply early to secure their spot when the program opens to all applicants.

The City has allocated $429,500 through the Long Beach Recovery Act to purchase shopping carts. The carts will be distributed to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. Each type of cart has a different price and the program will end once funds to purchase shopping carts are exhausted. The actual number of carts purchased and distributed to merchants will depend on the type of carts purchased and participation in the program.

The cart grant program builds on many other incentives offered to sidewalk vendors through the Sidewalk to Success program, including reimbursement of license and health permit costs and reimbursement of insurance costs for the first year. To date, 14 vendors have received this type of financial assistance. For more information about the sidewalk vendor, including vending requirements and financial assistance, visit longbeach.gov/sidewalkvending.

Sidewalk to Success is made possible by the Long Beach Recovery Act, a plan to fund economic and health initiatives for Long Beach residents, workers and businesses severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information on the Long Beach Recovery Act, visit longbeach.gov/recovery. The program also aligns with Goal 4 of Long Beach’s Racial and Reconciliation Initiative, which seeks to improve health and well-being in the city by eliminating social and economic inequities where health outcomes are significantly below the city average.