Roll up for Cannabis Equity
by Terrie Best
The County is Rolling a Fatty
Last year, a group of longtime cannabis advocates and professionals, community leaders and persons formerly incarcerated for cannabis got together and responded to the County of San Diego’s Request for Proposal to implement a cannabis social equity program in the unincorporated areas of the county.
It was a dream team of talent and it took awhile but we won the contract and the county is on its way to rolling out an application website, public meetings and eventual onboarding and training of new licensees.
Following are excerpts of the public-facing materials so far.
The purpose of the San Diego County Cannabis Social Equity Program is to address and rectify the disproportionate impact of historical cannabis prohibition laws on certain communities. It is designed to assist individuals who have been adversely affected by previous cannabis prohibition laws.
The available license types will be 13 retail storefront licenses and here’s the fat part: no cap on the number for cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, delivery, and testing licenses. This approach is intended to maximize opportunities for social equity participants.
The program incorporates comprehensive training components designed to educate participants about the cannabis industry and other crucial business operations they may not be familiar with. To further support the participants, mentorship and legal assistance are provided, ensuring that they have the guidance and resources necessary to navigate the complexities of the cannabis market.
This robust framework of support, rooted in extensive stakeholder and community feedback, aligns with the goals of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development’s Cannabis Equity Grants Program for Local Jurisdictions, which rewards programs that maintain a minimum of 51 percent social equity ownership. The San Diego County Cannabis Social Equity Program is structured to provide social equity applicants with the tools and opportunities needed to succeed, fostering growth and promoting fairness in the burgeoning cannabis industry.
Additionally, a critical feature of the program is the requirement for a minimum of 51 percent equity share in cannabis businesses for social equity owners. This stipulation grants majority control to social equity business owners, empowering them to effectively manage their operations and make pivotal business decisions.
There are specific criteria for eligibility that determine who can apply, categorized into two distinct tiers:
Tier A Individuals qualify if they have been incarcerated for a cannabis-related offense in San Diego County. This includes any conviction under the laws of the State of California or the United States related to the sale, possession, use, manufacture, or cultivation of cannabis that occurred prior to November 8, 2016.
Tier B is aimed at individuals who not only faced legal penalties related to cannabis but who also meet certain economic criteria. To qualify under Tier B, applicants must have been: Deported, arrested, or convicted in San Diego County for any crime under the laws of the State of California or the United States related to the sale, possession, use, manufacture, or cultivation of cannabis that occurred before November 8, 2016.
Low Income: Applicants must have an income that is 80% or below the Area Median Income for San Diego County as determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Here are the steps:
Step 1: Online Application Submission
Step 2: Application Review and Verification
Step 3: Notification of Application Status
Step 4A: Lottery Entry Process for Retail Licenses
Step 4B: Direct Licensing for Other Types
Step 5: Lottery Participation
The online application process is due to begin shortly. There will be public meetings throughout the process with the first one to be held at City Heights/Weingart Library on June 22, 2024 at 11:30AM.
