Marin County Moves to Let Residents Sell Meals From Home Kitchens Under a Three-Year Pilot

Home cooks in Marin County are a step closer to being able to sell meals legally from their own kitchens. The Board of Supervisors has backed a three-year pilot of a Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation program, known as MEHKO, Bay City News reported. California law allows these small home food businesses only in counties that opt in.

How the program would work

The program is set to start March 1, 2027, according to Canal Alliance, a San Rafael nonprofit that serves immigrant families. It would begin with 100 permits a year, and each operator could sell up to 30 meals a day, all prepared and sold the same day. Applicants would apply to county environmental health staff, who review the application and inspect the home kitchen. Applications are not being taken yet, but training workshops are planned beforehand.

Because the businesses run out of private homes, state law exempts them from commercial kitchen requirements such as grease traps, hood ventilation and multi-compartment sinks, county environmental health supervisor Shannon Bell told supervisors, according to a report shared by the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Fees and fee breaks

The ordinance, approved on first reading, sets a $725 application fee and a $414 annual fee that covers one scheduled inspection. County staff could reduce or waive fees for kitchens in census tracts that rank low on the California Healthy Places Index, a measure that combines indicators such as housing, income, education and environment. Greg Pirie, deputy director of Marin County Environmental Health Services, said that would help entrepreneurs in Marin City, West Marin and the Canal neighborhood. At least 30 of the permits are to go to applicants from lower-ranked areas. Some speakers said 100 permits is too few.

Countywide reach

Under state law, a county's decision to permit MEHKOs applies to every city within it, whether or not each city opts in separately, according to the draft ordinance. Canal Alliance said the Canal area in San Rafael, where many residents are Latino and lower income, stands to benefit most, since some vendors there already sell homemade food on the street.