Frustrated by large number of illegial vendors who are clogging the sidewalks in front of businesses on weekends, and the lack of action to deal with it, the Gaslamp Quarter Association has taken to media – and social media – to try and get the city to enforce the no-vending zone.
“The time for excuses has passed,” Executive Director of the Gaslamp Quarter Association Michael Trimble said. “The Gaslamp deserves better. The City has known about these conditions for years, and the longer this goes unaddressed, the greater the risk to public safety, public health, and the future of one of San Diego’s most important districts.”
The Gaslamp Quarter was designated a no-vending zone by the City in May 2022, with the ordinance taking effect in June 2022. Still, go out on a Friday or Saturday night and you have to step around the hot dog vendors who are on practically every corner of Fifth Ave. In many cases there are three or four on a corner and they even line up in front of businesses selling food. Tacos el Gordo on Fifth & F sometimes has half a dozen hot dog vendors on the sidewalk as customers line up to get tacos, not hot dogs.
“The issue is no longer legal authority, it is consistent enforcement,” said Michael Trimble, Executive Director of the Gaslamp Quarter Association. “The ordinance is in place. The findings were made. The time for action is now.”
A social media posts on Instagram by the Gaslamp Quarter Association show a picture of the Gaslamp Sign with a headline of “This Isn’t A Joke” and words that include “the historic heart of San Diego deserves better.”
This prompted more than 550 likes and led to comments about the Gaslamp’s other problems, mainly dirty sidewalks and roaming homeless people, some of whom are passed out on those sidewalks while locals and tourists step around them. And yet the city sits idle.
In a press release distributed to media, including to PubClub.com, the Gaslamp Quarter Assocation stated, among many other things this message:
“The Gaslamp Quarter Association is calling on the City to take three immediate actions: First, publicly confirm whether the no-vending zone is being enforced, second release its operational plan for the district, and third convene a meeting with a coalition of downtown stakeholders to establish a consistent and sustainable enforcement strategy. That coalition convened in 2023 and met with City leadership and the Police Department to push for enforcement after the ordinance was adopted.”
It also posted these statements:
“This issue has been raised repeatedly with the City, yet meaningful action has not followed. City representatives are no longer attending GQA public meetings, have not responded to outreach, and have yet to present a clear enforcement plan. Ongoing concerns about staffing and budget do not eliminate the responsibility to protect public safety and accessibility.
“The consequences of this inaction are already being felt. Unsafe and unsanitary conditions are damaging the visitor experience, harming the reputation of the Gaslamp and downtown as a whole, and placing added pressure on businesses already struggling to operate. Sidewalks are blocked, unpermitted vendors
are operating without oversight, and new vendors are setting up tents and selling goods without permits, health approvals, or accountability.”
PubClub.com will post any reply by the city and will continue to monitor and report on the situation.
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