Over the previous five years, she has racked up about 100 citations, she said, and paid several hundred dollars that she hopes will be returned as part of the pending litigation.
Last year, Ms. Soto’s husband began undergoing weekly kidney dialysis, and Ms. Soto took a little time off in March to recover from a hysterectomy. While she and her husband were unable to work, some vendors pooled their earnings and gave the couple $3,000 to make ends meet.
Although she is back at work, Ms. Soto said there is a lack of business.
“After the pandemic, everything changed,” she said. “It’s not as easy as before. It’s the economy. Now it’s very slow. People complain about money, about the taxes they have to pay. They don’t spend as much as they used to.”
She hasn’t made $900 in a week since last summer, Ms. Soto said, and in one week last month she made just $360 in five days. It’s difficult to keep up with the $2,000 monthly rent for her one-bedroom apartment, she said.
Her 19-year-old son works at a nearby shoe store to cover costs, she said, and she may soon look for another job where she can work in the mornings before diving into selling hot dogs.
“The situation is very, very bad,” she said.
As a thick layer of ocean settled over the city, Ms. Soto turned on the light above her shopping cart and zipped up her hoodie. A four-wheeled food delivery robot — one of many that traverse this part of Los Angeles — whizzed by.
It was a relatively quiet night in the heart of Hollywood, and after seven hours, Ms. Soto was done with her shift.
Your total for the day: $85. She hoped things would get better the next day.
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2024-06-29 09:00:59
www.nytimes.com
