Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations - DPH
PUBLIC HEALTH
1.6 Direct Community Investments
Federal Expenditure CategoryLoans or Grants to Mitigate Financial Hardship
11/01/2024
Anticipated End Date06/30/2026
Supported Languages
- Spanish
- Armenian
- Korean
- Tagalog/Filipino
- Mandarin
- Cantonese
- Vietnamese
- Spanish
- Armenian
- Korean
- Tagalog/Filipino
- Traditional Chinese
- Simplified Chinese
- Vietnamese
Project Contacts
-
Estevan Padilla
Indicators & Metrics to Date
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Number of Small Businesses Served0
-
Number of Applicants75
-
Number of Applications Approved37
-
Number of Grants Provided70
-
# of CBOs collaborated with2
-
# of stakeholder consultations for the fee subsidy program1
-
# of the subsidy recipients in the highest to high need areas earn greater than $50,000 in annual net revenues in their second year as a MEHKO29
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# of MEHKO operators who earn less than $50,000 in annual net revenues will receive a one-time subsidy of $597 towards their Initial Application Review Fee37
Target Populations
- Small Businesses
- Systems Impacted Individuals
- Systems Involved Individuals
Project Description
The California Health and Safety Code (California Retail Food Code) was amended in January of 2019 to establish a “Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation” (MEHKO) as a new type of retail food facility. MEHKO is a food facility that is operated by a resident from their private kitchen. Once permitted, a resident can store, handle, prepare, and serve food to the public, as allowed by State law, similar to a mini restaurant. The Board has taken significant steps to support small businesses and microentrepreneurs so that they can establish, thrive, and grow in the County. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board launched the Economic Mobility Initiative to support historically disinvested communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. MEHKOs are a strategic, inclusive economic development plan for the County while promoting safe and equitable pathways to legal food vending. On May 14, 2024, the Board introduced the ordinance authorizing MEHKOs in the County. The report back from the Chief Executive Office (CEO), recommended that the Department of Public Health use $600,000 in ARPA-enabled funding to subsidized up to 1,000 MEHKO applicants, available through June 30, 2026. The target population for subsidies would be low-income microentrepreneurs throughout the County (excluding Long Beach, Pasadena, and Vernon) with annual revenues of $50,000 or less. The MEHKO subsidy program will offer economically excluded entrepreneurs a feasible pathway to resources in becoming a safer, legitimate, business owner.
Goals & Objectives
Indicators
# | Type | Name | Baseline | Target |
---|---|---|---|---|
5 | Service Delivery | # of CBOs collaborated with | 2.00 |
Indicators
# | Type | Name | Baseline | Target |
---|---|---|---|---|
6 | Service Delivery | # of stakeholder consultations for the fee subsidy program | 5.00 |
Indicators
# | Type | Name | Baseline | Target |
---|---|---|---|---|
2 | Program Outcome | # of MEHKO operators who earn less than $50,000 in annual net revenues will receive a one-time subsidy of $597 towards their Initial Application Review Fee | 1000.00 | |
3 | Program Outcome | # of the subsidy recipients in the highest to high need areas earn greater than $50,000 in annual net revenues in their second year as a MEHKO | 1000.00 | |
12 | Performance | Number of Applications Approved | 1000.00 |