Vacant Storefronts Could Get New Life Under CA Pop-Up Business Law

LOS ANGELES, CA — Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Wednesday aimed at making it easier to open pop-up businesses in vacant storefronts.

AB 1679 creates a statewide framework for pop-up businesses to temporarily operate in eligible commercial spaces for up to 120 days.

“Bureaucratic nonsense and chronic permitting delays are the difference between a vibrant downtown corridor and another shuttered storefront,” from Assemblymember Mark González, D-Los Angeles, said in announcing the bills’ signing.

Under AB 1679, cities and counties must allow temporary commercial activation for qualifying pop-up businesses. Local jurisdictions can use an existing permitting system or create a new process to comply with the law.

González said the temporary permits could give entrepreneurs a less burdensome way to test a concept before committing to a permanent storefront.

The Independent Hospitality Coalition sponsored AB 1679. Its president, Eddie Navarrette, said the law could help entrepreneurs test ideas and establish a customer base before making a longer-term commitment to a location.