LA County Briefs: Home Kitchen Operations Ordinance Passed, County Prepares Region for Impact of LA28 Games and New Executive Officer Named

County Passes Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations Ordinance 

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors May 21 approved the final reading of the county’s Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations or MEHKOs ordinance. This ordinance goes into effect Nov. 1, 2024. It is the result of Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell’s motion that passed last year calling for a streamlined process for the over 50,000 home cooks and sidewalk vendors throughout the County to become permitted to cook safe and regulated food for the public.

In addition, the board approved Supervisors Mitchell and Hilda L. Solis’s motion to help remove financial barriers to applying for MEHKOs by allocating $600,000 in American Rescue Plan Act recovery funds to cover the $597 initial application fee for 1000 eligible MEHKO permittees. The motion also calls for $600,000 invested into an extensive outreach and education campaign led by the county’s Department of Economic Opportunity.  

Los Angeles County becomes the 15th jurisdiction in the state to authorize MEHKOs. A statewide survey by COOK Alliance reported 84% of sidewalk vendors and home cooks in the informal economy are women, and 48% identify as Black, Latinx, or multi-racial. MEHKOs provide a feasible pathway for diverse populations, including first-generation immigrants, to be part of the formal economy and further legitimize their businesses.  

Details: To read the entire ordinance, click here.

Supervisors Prepare County for Impact of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion authored by Supervisors Holly J. Mitchell and Hilda L. Solis calling for the county’s chief executive office in collaboration with the Department of Economic Opportunity to conduct an analysis within 150-days of the economic opportunities and potential impact of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games for Los Angeles County and its unincorporated communities.

The economic and opportunity analysis will also include anticipated costs to unincorporated communities, revenue-generating opportunities, expected jobs created, and proposed metrics that align with the priority outcomes identified by the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games. The motion also calls for the county’s Internal Services Department to collaborate with the City of Los Angeles to ensure that all county contracting opportunities for the Olympics are listed on the Regional Alliance Marketplace for Procurement, which will be used for Olympic procurement.

Details: To read the entire motion, click here.

Edward Yen Named Executive Officer of the LA County Board of Supervisors

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors May 21 appointed Edward Yen as the new executive officer to oversee the administration of the Board of Supervisors. Mr. Yen, better known as Eddie, is the first Asian American of Chinese descent to hold the position leading the executive office of the Board of Supervisors. With nearly two decades of exemplary performance in local government, Mr. Yen most recently served as the assistant executive officer overseeing technology, planning, legislation, operations, and the Assessment Appeals Board.

In his new role, Mr. Yen reports to all five members of the Board of Supervisors and exercises full responsibility for the direction and administration of the department to maintain and improve operational efficiency and facilitate transparent governance. With a budget of $340 million, which includes funding for nearly 500 budgeted positions, the executive office is responsible for operating efficient and inclusive public meetings. The department also provides administrative support to 33 boards and commissions, including the Office of Inspector General, Sheriffs Civilian Oversight Commission, Office of Child Protection and more.

“I’m honored to be chosen for this leadership role,” said Mr. Yen. “I embrace the opportunity to lead as the Executive Officer. My passion for public service drives me to innovate, collaborate, and make a positive impact on our community.”

Prior to joining the Department, Mr. Yen spent five years with the Los Angeles County Office of the Assessor, holding the positions of assessment and public services director and as general counsel. He began his county career with the Los Angeles County Office of County Counsel as a deputy county counsel. Before joining the County workforce, Mr. Yen was an attorney in private practice.

Mr. Yen also serves as the president of the Los Angeles County Asian American Employees Association and recently served as the chair of the San Marino Recreation Commission. He has a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School and a Bachelor of Business Administration and Management from the University of Southern California.