Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (Photo – LA County)
Pasadena City Council members tabled a proposed $225,000 pilot program for home-based restaurants Tuesday night, asking the Pasadena Public Health Department for more data on its costs, benefits and safeguards.
By Andrew Sweet
After public comment, the council spent most of the meeting debating MEHKOs, or Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations—small-scale restaurants defined by a city report as being “operated in a rented or owned residential dwelling such as a single-family home, apartment, or condominium.”
Unlike brick-and-mortar restaurants, MEHKOs are subject to different permitting and inspection requirements and generally do not undergo the same plan-review process. They may sell various food items that aren’t high-risk or involve extensive specialized processes.
Manuel Carmona, director of public health for the Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD), opened the discussion with a presentation. He covered the recent implementation of pilot programs throughout California and their levels of success, including programs in Los Angeles (2024) and Long Beach (2026). Carmona stated that 79% of operators are from communities of color and 70% are women.
If the City Council moves forward with a pilot program, selected at-home businesses would receive support from a $225,000 budget. The PPHD would allocate employees to review health permits and provide food safety education. The two-year pilot would aim to support economic opportunity for the city and provide additional income to low-income residents.
Richard Gomestrejo—the first MEHKO operator in the San Gabriel Valley to receive support—expressed strong support for the proposal during public comment. He runs Wraps to Gomestrejo in Monrovia.
Gomestrejo was accompanied by other business owners interested in applying.
Another Pasadena resident, who lives in the Maryland Building, spoke in opposition. He claimed that businesses operating inside residential complexes could create issues because of increased communal costs for electricity and water, as well as security concerns.
While the council generally agreed that the pilot could benefit business owners, members raised concerns about its cost.
“Here’s my concern. I think we might end up with a $225,000 program that might have five or 10 applicants,” stated Councilmember Rick Cole. Cole referred to long-term economic trends discussed in the Finance Committee and said Pasadena should allocate funds strategically and conservatively as money becomes available.
“I want to look at where we’re spending our money, rather than just committing to something blindly.”
Cole later recommended a friendly amendment requiring the PPHD to gather data of public interest about the pilot, along with additional information on the success of MEHKO programs in cities that have approved them.
Councilmember Jason Lyon also questioned whether the funding could be used more effectively. He suggested that the money could support other strategies, including a shared workspace on South Lake Avenue where business owners could conduct similar functions.
Toward the end of the discussion, Lyon put forward a motion calling for more extensive data on the distribution of funds and potential guardrails to prevent financial losses. Councilmember Steve Madison seconded the motion, with Vice Mayor Jess Rivas supporting it.
The item was tabled and sent back to the PPHD for further review.
Leave a Reply