Home Kitchen Ordinance, Los Angeles County Grant Program Approved – Pasadena Now

A new ordinance that allows licensed businesses to sell food from home kitchens does not apply to Pasadena residents, city officials confirmed.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday gave final approval to an ordinance that governs the permitting process for “small business home kitchen operations” (MEHKOs) in unincorporated areas of the county, including Altadena and East Pasadena. But it won't affect operations in Pasadena, which has its own health department.

“Los Angeles County's ordinance does not apply to Pasadena,” said Manuel Carmona of the Pasadena Public Health Department. “The City of Pasadena does not have a similar ordinance, and the Pasadena Department of Public Health has not proposed a similar ordinance to the City.”

Under the county ordinance, MEHKO applicants in unincorporated areas must pay a $597 application fee and an annual sanitation permit fee of $347. The business's annual total sales are limited to $100,000 and it is limited to 30 meals per day or 90 meals per week. MEHKOs can also function as concessions for up to two food carts, with food and sales caps of 80 meals per day or 200 meals per week, up to $150,000 in total sales.

The Board of Supervisors also approved a $600,000 grant to provide a one-time waiver of the $597 application fee for up to 1,000 eligible MEHKO businesses with annual net revenues of less than $50,000 located in unincorporated areas.

The ordinance, developed in consultation with other counties and COOK Alliance advocacy groups, is scheduled to go into effect in November and go into effect in January 2024.