To support vendors who lost economic opportunities due to COVID-19 health order prohibition of events, EWD engaged A2Z Media Group with about $50,000 in CARES and other City funding to coordinate the Lake Merritt Vending Pilot Program to develop an opportunity for local vendors to unite in a City-sanctioned space to sell and market their hand-made products while bringing vendors into compliance with local and state licensing (compliance rose from 10 percent at launch to 91 percent at the conclusion of the pilot). While initially dissatisfied by having to re-locate, a vendor survey at the pilot program’s conclusion found 9 out of 10 were happy with the program.
