Unpermitted Street Food Vendors in Santa Barbara County

Conclusions 5

• CL1
  County Health’s ability to inspect mobile food vendors and enforce food safety regulations has been limited by the small number of inspection personnel currently employed in its Environmental Health Services Division.
• CL2
  There is no established process by which the public can report unpermitted mobile food vendors to County Health, thus making enforcement of food safety requirements more difficult.
• CL3
  County Health efforts to conduct inspections of mobile food vendors have been negatively impacted by safety concerns for inspection personnel.
• CL4
  Food trucks and carts are often not located in proximity to restroom or handwashing facilities for staff and customers as legally required, which poses a significant public health risk.
• CL5
  While their consequences may have been unintended, SB 946 and SB 972 triggered a surge in unpermitted food vending operations across Santa Barbara County, reaching a scale that now poses a threat to public health and safety. The County—specifically, the County of Santa Barbara Health Department—is mandated to enforce food safety regulations through permitting and routine inspections of food vendors. However, significant enforcement gaps have emerged, leaving residents and visitors alike vulnerable to health risks posed by unpermitted mobile food vendors who prepare potentially hazardous foods. Among these vendors, there is widespread disregard and defiance of governmental regulations designed to protect public health. With no foreseeable relief to come at the state level, local authorities must devise their own effective enforcement solutions. While multi-jurisdictional task forces show promising results, they must encompass the full range of appropriate agencies, and funding for inspectors who focus specifically on food safety violations must be prioritized. 2024-2025 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury 8 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Finding 1: County Health’s ability to inspect mobile food vendors and enforce food safety regulations has been limited by the small number of inspection personnel currently employed in its Environmental Health Services Division. Recommendation 1: The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors provide County Health with sufficient funding to hire additional inspectors to facilitate more frequent inspections of mobile food vendors and to enforce compliance with existing food safety laws if violations are discovered. To be implemented by July 1, 2026. Finding 2: There is no established process by which the public can report unpermitted mobile food vendors to County Health, thus making enforcement of food safety requirements more difficult. Recommendation 2: The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors direct County Health to establish a tip line for the public to report information about mobile food vendors who are not permitted. To be implemented by January 1, 2026. Finding 3: County Health efforts to conduct inspections of mobile food vendors have been negatively impacted by safety concerns for inspection personnel. Recommendation 3a: The Grand Jury recommends that the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office delegate deputies to accompany County Health inspectors so that the inspectors, with the support of law enforcement, can safely enforce permitting and inspecting in the unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County and in incorporated areas where the Sheriff’s Office is contracted to provide services. To be implemented by January 1, 2026. Recommendation 3b: The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors direct County Health to partner with municipal law enforcement agencies so that health inspectors, with the support of law enforcement, can safely enforce permitting and inspecting within incorporated municipalities. To be implemented by January 1, 2026. Finding 4: Food trucks and carts are often not located in proximity to restroom or handwashing facilities for staff and customers as legally required, which poses a significant public health risk. Recommendation 4: The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors direct County Health to focus inspection and enforcement efforts on mobile food vendors who operate without proximity to appropriate restroom or handwashing facilities. To be implemented by January 1, 2026. 2024-2025 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury 9 REQUEST FOR RESPONSE Pursuant to California Penal Code §933 and §933.05, the Grand Jury requests that each entity or individual named below respond to the findings and recommendations within the specified statutory time limit. Responses to Findings shall be either: - Agree - Disagree with an explanation - Disagree partially with an explanation Responses to Recommendations shall be one of the following: - Has been implemented, with a summary of the implementation actions taken - Will be implemented, with an implementation schedule - Requires further analysis, with an analysis completion date of fewer than 6 months after the issuance of the report - It will not be implemented with an explanation of why Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors - 90 Days Findings 1, 2, 3, 4 Recommendations 1, 2, 3a, 3b, 4 Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office - 60 Days Finding 3 Recommendation 3a 2024-2025 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury 10

Agency Responses 2

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.