CLARK COUNTY (KTNV) — Two weeks ago, the City of North Las Vegas says a home on the 600 block of Carey Avenue went up in flames.
After the fire was extinguished, the Building Department, Code Enforcement and Business Licensing staff launched an investigation into the residence for illegally operating a business. They state the facility was being used as a commissary kitchen.
"This was something where they were preparing large amounts of food to be distributed to the smaller stalls that we're seeing all over town," said Larry Rogers, the Southern Nevada Health District's Manager of Food Operations.
Rogers says these commissary kitchens operate with no licenses or health permits and they sell the food they prepare or make to local street vendors.
He says this is a new issue plaguing our valley, just starting this year.
"That's a new one in Clark County and I've been doing this for 16 years," Rogers said.
The worst part of these commissary kitchens is the lack of food safety.
The Southern Nevada Health District sent us these pictures of commissary kitchens they've seen this year. The pictures show raw meat at unsafe temperatures, blood pooling in cardboard boxes, improper storage of meat and more.
I showed those same pictures to Marcela Lopez. She owns Pupuseria La Salvadorena, a new food truck on Vegas Drive. She says those food conditions are unacceptable.
"No. It's not safe to eat," Lopez said. "It should've been kept at a safer temperature."
Lopez just got all her permits and licenses to legally operate about a week ago. Before that, she operated as an illegal street vendor.
On April 30, a new county ordinance went into effect requiring street vendors to have business licenses to operate. Instead of going through the legal process to still operate as a street vendor, Lopez decided to buy a food truck instead. She says choosing to operate legally in the valley was worth it.
"I had to sacrifice a lot. I would just pay my bills and just put everything in my savings account, everything else. It's hard but not impossible," Lopez said.
Lopez now has a kitchen, proper refrigeration, and air conditioning.
"Now I have everything I need and it feels better," Lopez said.
Despite the requirements being different for food trucks and street vendors, many say one thing is in common: the price is too high to be compliant. For street vendors, it'll take around $1,200.
WATCH: Clark County street vendors slow to apply for permits, blame hefty costs
However, Rogers says the health district is here to help.
"We're actually required to offer a payment plan to sidewalk vendors and we're willing to do that," Rogers said.
Clark County says a violation for operating a street vendor illegally could cost up to $500 and even jail time.
