Read: Motions

Pg. 20

Restaurants in Los Angeles have seen a surge in the popularity of outdoor dining since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. City programs like LA Al Fresco have sought to promote this shift by streamlining permitting requirements and bypassing many regulations included in the Municipal Code and Zoning Code. Outdoor dining has provided a lifeline for many businesses in the City in the midst of an unprecedented public health pandemic, with up to 80% of participating restaurants reporting that they would have closed had it not been for the success of these programs.

Yet barriers to outdoor dining remain. High up-front costs of enrolling in the permanent Al Fresco program are a major obstacle for small business owners. Despite programs like the Al Fresco Small Business Fee Reduction Program, enrollment in the pennanent Al Fresco program citywide remains below 10%. With a final deadline for enrollment of July 31, 2024, more outreach and support from the City is urgently needed to preserve the outdoor dining landscape that has arisen since 2020.