To: Board of Supervisors
From: Anna Roth, Health Services Director
Report Title: Options for Authorizing Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations in Contra Costa County
?Recommendation of the County Administrator ? Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
CONSIDER update from Contra Costa Health Services, Environmental Health Division (EHD) on options for Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKOs) authorization and PROVIDE direction to staff.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost of establishing a MEHKO program (temporary or full) would initially be absorbed by the existing budget of the EHD and supplemented by an upcoming MEHKO grant program allocated in the State budget. If the Board directs staff to implement a MEHKO program, the EHD would return to the Board seeking an update to the EHD fee schedule at a later date.
BACKGROUND:
Assembly Bill (AB) 626, enacted in 2019, amended the California Health and Safety Code to create a Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation, referred to as MEHKOs, as a new type of retail food facility that allows an individual to operate a restaurant within their private residence.
If authorized by the Board, individuals may attain a health permit to use their home kitchens to prepare, sell and serve up to 30 meals per day, or 90 meals per week, and collect a maximum annual gross revenue of $100,000. An authorization would apply to all areas of the county, including incorporated cities in the region.
Since the state established MEHKOs in 2019, eight counties have authorized MEHKOs including Riverside County, Imperial County, Lake County, Alameda County, Solano County, Santa Barbara County, the City of Berkeley, and Sierra County. In addition, three counties, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Diego, have temporarily authorized a MEHKO pilot program. Combined, there are over 200 permitted MEHKOs across the state as of the end of 2022.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
MEHKOs will not be authorized in Contra Costa County and home kitche...
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