Skip to main content
Santa Clara County Civic Gallery Board of Supervisors agenda intelligence

Matter SCC-129894

Under advisement from January 27, 2026 (Item No. 9): Consider recommendations relating to the Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation (MEHKO) program.

Health & Hospital System Board of Supervisors
1 Document on file 189 KB · 1 extracted · 1 AI summary
File
SCC-129894
Type
Unknown
Status
Unknown
Requester
Unknown
Introduced
Unknown
Last synced
06 Aug 2026 · 05:45

The papers

1 document · 189 KB
01 189 KB

Report Printout

189 KB Extracted AI Summary
file Unknown sha c3066bcf05ec source Open source document ↗
Generated summary AI-assisted

This document is a status update regarding the Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKO) Program, addressed to the Board of Supervisors by Sarah L. Rudman, Health Officer and Public Health Director. It discusses the program's background, challenges, and recommendations for action, including the delegation of authority to submit a grant application for reimbursement of costs related to the program. The report highlights the program's success, the need for additional funding to waive fees for operators, and the demographic data collected from MEHKO operators. It also outlines the potential impacts on families and seniors, as well as sustainability implications for local food systems.

Key points
  • The MEHKO program was launched in 2023 and has nearly 200 operators, making it the second largest in California.
  • The program transitioned from a pilot to a permanent program as of October 21, 2025.
  • The County's cost of operating the MEHKO program is approximately $218,000 annually.
  • A grant opportunity may allow MEHKO permit fees to be waived from September 1, 2026, to August 31, 2027.
  • An anonymous survey revealed that 43% of MEHKO operators have incomes below $80,000, and 80% of respondents were women.
  • The Health Trust awarded a grant to support MEHKO applicants in overcoming barriers to operation.
  • The document outlines potential barriers for MEHKO applicants, including costs and landlord restrictions.
Limitations
  • The document contains unresolved placeholders such as specific references and details about the grant application.
  • The fiscal implications section mentions an amount up to $300,000 but does not provide further context or details.

Generated for convenience from extracted text using AI. Review the official source document before relying on this summary.

Extracted text preview · 12,727 chars
County of Santa Clara Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System Public Health Department 129894 DATE: August 11, 2026 TO: Board of Supervisors FROM: Sarah L. Rudman MD MPH, Health Officer and Public Health Director SUBJECT: Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations Program Status Update RECOMMENDED ACTION Under advisement from January 27, 2026 (Item No. 9): Consider recommendations relating to the Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation (MEHKO) program. Possible action: a. Receive report from the Public Health Department relating to the MEHKO program and the additional costs and challenges, including requirements or restrictions from landlords of operators. b. Approve delegation of authority to the County Executive, or designee, to submit Grant Application to the California Conference of Directors of Environmental Health relating to reimbursement of costs incurred by the County related to the MEHKO program in an amount up to $300,000 for period June 23, 2023 through August 31, 2026. FISCAL IMPLICATIONS There are no fiscal implications to the County General Fund from approving the application for the grant. If the grant application is approved, the grant will be used to waive...