San Francisco Supervisors Push to Legalize Home Kitchens
San Francisco city officials are introducing new legislation that would allow people to cook and sell food out of their homes.
Assembly Bill 626, which went into effect in January 2019, gives California cities and counties the option to allow “Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations” — which would permit citizens to sell hot meals prepared in their own kitchens.
Supervisor Jackie Fielder, along with co-sponsors Supervisors Myrna Melgar, Shamann Walton and Bilal Mahmood, on Tuesday introduced the ordinance for San Francisco to opt into the state law.
A group of supporters — food vendors and advocates — joined Fielder at a press conference outside City Hall on Tuesday, holding signs that read, “Let us cook.”
“If we want a San Francisco where small food businesses can start to grow and thrive,” Fielder said, “We have to make room for the people who are not rich to open up a brick-and-mortar location.”
The Cook Alliance, a Bay Area organization that advocates for home cooks and helped pass AB 626, said 79% of state operators are people of color.
“We work hard, we know how to manage our businesses,” said Andrea Guirola, a food vendor in San Francisco. “But many times the system makes it difficult and expensive for us to have the same opportunities as others.”
Guirola said the ordinance will give people like herself, who would never have the financial means to start a business, the opportunity to take care of their families.
In order to qualify, home cooks must pass inspections from the city’s health department, receive a food safety manager certificate and abide by all local and state health codes.
The home kitchens are restricted to selling 200 meals per week and have a capped $200,000 in annual gross income.
If the legislation is approved, San Francisco would join Alameda, Santa Clara, Solano, San Mateo and Sonoma counties, which have already opted into the state law.