San Diego City Wire

San Diego could see new regulations this spring to regulate pushcart street vendors that supporters say are needed but critics believe will destroy the businesses.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria plans to introduce new regulations that his predecessor, Mayor Kevin Faulconer, never instituted due to opposition from minority and low-income residents advocates, the San Diego Union Tribune reported.

Those who support new regulations argue they are needed as vendors illegally dump trash and ignore food-handling rules. They also say vendors block restroom access and block emergency lanes and traffic, the Union Tribune reported.

However, critics of the regulations say they would destroy the pushcart industry, and many low-income residents and immigrants would be affected as they own the pushcarts.

Faulconer, who proposed the regulations in 2019, did not follow through and shelved them later that year, the newspaper reported.

Some argue San Diego's initial proposed regulations also had racist overtones. Faulconer also was criticized as he based his regulations on complaints from community groups and leaders and pushcart operators were not involved.

Faulconer’s regulations included banning pushcarts in areas that have large tourist traffic such as Balboa Park Botanical Building and Lily Pond, Sunset Cliffs Natural Park and Mission Beach and La Jolla Shores boardwalks, the newspaper reported. Petco Park would also be off-limits when the Padres were playing and near the convention center when there was a convention in town.

Gloria's deputy chief of staff, Nick Serrano, said he wants to work with all sides on the new regulations.

“Mayor Gloria is committed to working with all stakeholders, particularly our immigrant and business communities, to bring forward an ordinance to the City Council’s Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee this spring that will balance economic opportunities with public safety priorities,” Serrano told the Union Tribune.