UCLA law students help taco truck operators overturn L.A. ordinance

Carne asada tacos will soon be returning to a Los Angeles street corner near you, thanks to a legal team that included students from the UCLA law school's clinical program.

A Los Angeles County Superior Court commissioner has nixed a city law that cracked down on taco trucks and other food coaches. The ordinance, approved by the City Council in 2006, forced operators to stay on the go: Trucks were prohibited from parking in the same spot in a residential neighborhood for more than a half-hour, or in a commercial area for more than an hour.
 
Commissioner Barry D. Kohn on Friday ruled that the city overstepped its legal authority. Catering trucks are regulated by the state, although local governments have the authority to impose additional regulations to protect public safety or health. Kohn found that the city ordinance was not based on either.

The legal challenge was filed by Francisco Gonzalez, who has operated a catering truck in East Los Angeles for more than a dozen years and specializes in carne asada. He received a $150 ticket in December for violating the ordinance.

A few months before that, a judge in August overturned a controversial ordinance passed by Los Angeles County supervisors that made it a misdemeanor in unincorporated parts of the county to park a taco truck in one spot for more than an hour.

-- Phil Willon at L.A. City Hall

Photo: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Disappointed]

Too bad

[California Taxpayer]

Why do we have elected representatives? Look at all the money we could save by just having a legal branch of government.

[PEDRO SANCHEZ]

Dam it; I hate these dam trucks, and I am a Mexican Los Angeles native. They make our city look like crap. Not to mention that they lower our property values. There are some cities in L.A (Lennox) were there is a taco truck every 20 feet, literally!

Look, I have eaten out of these dam trucks (Kogi) but they need to move along. I have witnessed the same truck stationed in the same location for years.

P.S
I hate street vendors also.

[V]

Congrats to my classmates on their hard to prevail in this case!

[acc]

Never should have happened. Glad things worked out for people trying to make a living. It's a service that is needed and people seem to appreciate a good meal at a decent price.

[LA]

I like this article except...

undergrads helped too! especially through the UCLA Labor Centers. Undergrads probably had a larger and more important role than the law students... it is important to recognize this and give credit where credit is due and not simply acknowledge those with higher "prestige"...

regardless, great job to everyone involved for fighting these racist (yes, hidden under all the neutrality) ordinances and policies.

[Pablo]

Thanks, UCLA law students. We appreciate your hard work in putting restaurants out of business, guaranteeing that litter accumulates in the streets of poor neighborhoods, and turning LA into it's own third world country. Now I don't feel as bad about the fees going up at California's professional schools.

[Tim]

@ pedro sanchez, it's too bad you are so ashamed of your heritage, but including taco trucks as part of it only shows your ignorance, you admit to having eating out of them, nobody is forcing you to do so, and lastly, I'm sorry you live in Lennox, sorry you were too stupid to do something worthwihile with your life so you could move up to a better community.

[deBeer]

Racist? Give the world a break, Hispanic mayor. Many Hispanics on the council. These eyesores operate in mainly Hispanic areas. The racists in this ordeal is people like you who look at everything through a racist prizm.

[pearl2k]

To the students who helped overturn the ordinance, you'll one day understand why you don't want a truck, or trucks, as one reader related, parked in front of your house on your block all day long.

As for racism, I would say the blight caused by these trucks, concentrated in Hispanic neighborhoods, those neighborhoods without a political voice, is environmental racism, isn't it?

Wait, they did have a voice. It was the City Council that said were going to do something about the blight cause by people operating businesses on residential streets.

Thanks UCLA Labor Center!!! Well done.

[Lou Bricano]

This is a great victory for the free market, and thus for consumers. All of the arguments against the trucks are part of a shabby, easily dissipated smokescreen. The real opposition to them comes from other restaurants. As my economics professors at UCLA said years ago, businessmen may say they like "competition", in the abstract, but they hate competitors. These trucks are simply a case of supply meeting demand. No one forces anyone to buy food at them - people buy the food because they like it and feel it's good value. The fixed location restaurants are free to try to woo consumers away from the trucks by offering good food at competitive prices, but there's something dirty and especially un-American about trying to legislate your competitors out of business.

Hurrah for the small business entrepreneurs!

[Stephen]

I personally appreciate these hard working people that are struggling to earn a living by having their own business. They slave away in a not too well-ventilated truck cooking for hungry people. I'd take that any day compared to someone living off welfare or begging on the streets. Give these guys credit for being entrepreneurs in a way that helps bring a bit of authenticity and affordability to our latin cuisine.

[ay]

There's got to be a better solution than just banning them.

On the one hand, you have to protect the restaurants which is vital in supporting the city. On the other hand, those taco trucks are out there trying to make a honest living, just like everyone else and you have to respect that.

Maybe we can mark some locations throughout the city that doesn't have a restaurant within a certain distance of that place and license out those locations to those trucks. This way, the city gets additional revenue, the restaurants are protected, and the trucks have a place to go.

[Lewis]

Protect the restaurants? What are you talking about? You don't protect the restaurants. How did Burger King expand? It built as close to McDonald's as it could. Competition is the bedrock of our society, and if the whiney restaurants are losing sales, then they need to shape up and offer a better product, not whine to the city "Lazy mexicans are stealing our jobs" which is really all this is.

[Lauren sala]

Los Angeles is a third world city, so this justs contributes to that image, way to go UCLA students, who cares about the residents who have to put up with this crap LS

[Jeebus Duran]

Bravo. With the economy the way it is, it's a relief to still be able to afford something so good at such a cheap price. I'd rather eat for a week at a taco trucks than go to McDonald's or some other crap food joint. And if those jerks have something against taco trucks, then they better start making a better product. (No offense to McDonalds or other fast food employees)

Also, if you don't want to support taco truck businesses, then don't buy from them. End of story, we live in a free country, deal with it.

[Jake]

The 'hidden agenda' for coming down on the Taco trucks is not racism, it's taxes!! I can never get a receipt from a taco truck and they only take cash.

I suggest the LA Times take a look who actually owns the majority of these trucks. The public is lead to believe that it is the people inside the trucks, when in fact that may not be the case.

In Sacramento, it was the Koreans and Chinese who actually owned the trucks and business - which explains the "cash only, no receipt, cash register broken today" crap.

They would rent the taco trucks and sell the food to hispanic operators, and take a commission on all food sold. While we were lead to believe we were supporting hard working hispanic immigrants, in actuality we were helping the bank accounts of others hidden behind the scenes.

[Tony]

The sad truth abouth this case is that the majority of these same student WILL NOT WANT these taco trucks in their neighborhoods in about ten years. The majority of these students will probably reside in middle and upper middle class areas and will call the local authorities about these taco trucks! Can you say HYPOCRITE?

[Marcos El Malo]

If the only "dam truck" Pete Sanchez has eaten from is Kogi, I doubt his claimed ethnicity and his street cred. I'm guessing Pete comes from the Hampton Sanchezes.

Thanks to the UCLA students for their hard work. No thanks to the politicians for catering to the special interests and trying to kill competition.

Viva Capitalism. It's the American Way.

[Daniel]

Why don't "Taco" Trucks get grades like restaurants?? They pay no rent, no Licenses are ever posted on windows.

[Drug Dealers]

I know for a fact people buy drugs off those trucks. Shame on these kids for doing this. We used to call them the "roach coach"! And it was for a reason!

[Local Taxpayer]

These trucks are not regulated for health and safety, don't pay any property taxes (which goes to the city not the state), and usually don't pay any sales taxes. (OK, so maybe they pay a fee to register the vehicle, but that goes to the state.) I'm all for better regulating them, but come on, there's a reason why the city tried to limit these. And yes, it's to protect local restaurants, who actually pay into the tax base.

[Adrian]

Great! I would like to see a TACO TRUCK park in front of UCLA LAW for a few hours see how they like it?

[Inspector Gadgetless]

I respect the taco truck business. These people could easily be asking for government handouts while lounging on their sofas watching "novelas" but they are not...they are living the American dream and running their own business...literally!

Too bad other Americans elsewhere (Iowa and the Carolina's for example. You should research these states ordinances against these small business) are not as progressive as our dear and beloved UCLA students...it makes be proud to be an Alumnus!!!

[Peter]

This is excellent news. Today I'm very proud of the students at my alma mater. You have done a service for those who merely want to work hard and feed their families, as well as those who enjoy some authentic tasting Mexican street food.

Oh, and those catering trucks don't sell only Mexican food. There are deli trucks, too, you know.

[Relieved]

Yay for UCLA Labor Center and all the UCLA law/undergrad students who helped make this happen! You can't beat the price, taste, or convenience. Taco trucks are the progenitor of a sweeping foodie craze like Kogi trucks and mobile dessert trucks that sell luxury cupcakes (as featured here: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/cupcakes/)
Taco trucks are a winning business model that deserve credit for sparking innovation and hungry stomachs. I wonder if now that some mobile food vendors have gone upscale and begun to cater to a hipster/foodie crowd, the city council would be as likley to pursue such an ordinance.

[Frank]

mmmh.. this is making me hungry for tacos. I love tacos and I think taco trucks are very convenient.

[Barnacle Bob]

Why do I get this weird feeling that we are suddenly going to hear of a bunch of UCLA students opening a successful LA food-coach operation which uses Bio-Diesel powered Trucks, offers Vegan, Vegetarian or Free Range fare, and uses a bare minimum of food containers and packaging all 100% recycled?

Taco Truck guys, your UCLA champions seem like your buds now. But they have designs on your turf, mark my words!

[Marcos El Malo]

@Local Taxpayer:

You couldn't be more wrong. Did you not bother doing research or are you just a liar?

My guess is that you're posting here under multiple names, trying to spread fear, uncertainty, and doubt. So, regarding your allegations that drugs are sold from the trucks: got any proof? No? Then shut up.

[PEDRO SANCHEZ]

@ Tim, you are a racist. You assumed I was ignorant and poor because I am Hispanic and mentioned the city of Lennox. Since when do eyesore taco tucks = Mexican pride. Should I ride a donkey to work with the Mexican flag around my shoulders? I am a first generation Mexican raised to appreciate our heritage and TACO TRUCKS ARE NOT IT. You should learn to appreciate our history and contributions to society not stereotypical emblems.

By the way TIM, I am a Technical Support Manger earning well over six figures.

[PEDRO SANCHEZ]

@ Macos El Malo. So you want street cred hugh. I was born and raised in INGLEWOOD, class of 1998 Inglewood High.

However, as a college educated Hispanic, I try not to be bias toward my own ethnicity.
Realistically, those taco trucks are an eyesore. Several cities including the city of Inglewood have already imposed restriction similar to the one in LA. I have yet to see a taco truck parked permanently in Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Culver City or Hawthorne.

Really think about that, the only cities were these trucks are permitted to roam free is in downtrodden neighborhoods. The man is not keeping us down, WE ARE.

[GeeZus]

@ Adrian

I would actually welcome a taco truck in front of UCLAw, im tired of the dry burgers sold in our student food court. Carne asada is a good source of protein and containes less fat than most of the stuff peddled to us here...ok back to studying for the Bar!

[Drake Stone]

It is too bad the food trucks that try to operate in the Beach Cities don't have the UCLA team to back them up. According to an email I got from the Chief of Police in Hermosa:

"The City allows these trucks to stop for no more than 10 minutes and they can only stop in a legal parking places. If they cater a private event the must have a business license in the City as well. The City now has three vendors that are showing up unlicensed and to be frank, the City does not want to become another Venice."

The other part is that The City will not allow trucks to get a license. Ugh.