Hot Dog “Gangs” Continue To Swarm And Disrupt Rainbow District Businesses

Hot Dog “gangs” swarmed the Rainbow District again this weekend. 

Rows of hot dog carts can be seen lining Santa Monica Blvd and disrupting the businesses along Santa Monica Blvd.   According to West Hollywood business owners the carts are disrupting storefronts and creating public safety problems.   One business owner reported, “A girl’s hair caught fire,” after flames rose high from their hot dog cart.

On Friday night, one major club owner’s staff, who had tried to move the hot dog vendors from in front of their business, was threatened: “We have enforcers, leave us alone.”

Another business owner alleges the hot dog vendors are members of the MS-13 street gang. There is one boss who manages the gang of workers. “Miguel is the street manager who is in charge of WeHo,” said the business owner. 

Many of the workers appear to be underage. The City of West Hollywood ordinance protecting workers does not apply here. There is no legal business license, or sales tax being collected.

Workers use the street to pour grease all over the sidewalk and onto the trees, leaving another public safety hazard for slipping, a public health issue by attracting rats and insects, and even an environmental issue by destroying landscaping and polluting oceans.

The whole situation is a nightmare, where these gangs have taken over the streets. Just a few weeks ago, a video surfaced of a hot dog cart exploding into flames. There were at least three reports of splatter and blisters on patrons.

Councilmember Danny Hang brought forward an item asking City Staff to look into options for what can be done to stop this assault. In his opening remarks, Hang stated: “Colleagues, this item is about something pretty simple, but deeply important, keeping our community safe, protecting public health, and ensuring fairness for everyone who does business in West Hollywood.”

Councilmember Erickson shot down Hang’s argument with this salvo: “However, working for a Latino immigration organization, I cannot in good conscience vote for this in its current form.” Hang buckled and yanked his bill. 

In this photo you can see a row of hot dog carts obstructing the crosswalks this past weekend.   

The weekend prior, this photo of a flipped-over hot dog cart, grease, buns and all, lay on the ground, in one of WeHo’s busiest intersections at the peak of a busy Saturday night.

These gangs come into WeHo on the weekends and disrupt the streets, and the businesses. They traffic illegal workers and force them to work with no safeguards. There are no safeguards.  

And then there is the pop-up selling alcohol to anybody on the street. They were back this past weekend too right on Santa Monica Blvd., harming legit businesses, violating labor laws, and creating chaos on the streets of the Rainbow District.  

Who is in charge? If the hot dog gangs have their own security force, I’d say they are in charge.

Perhaps Miguel, the street manager who oversees these workers, is going to run to be on the City Council. He appears to already have the support of both Councilmember Erickson and Mayor Byers who voted to ‘do nothing’ rather than address this ongoing degradation to the Rainbow District nightlife community.