TITLE
Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager, or designee, to execute an agreement, and any necessary documents including any subsequent amendments, with the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), to receive and expend grant funding in the amount of $3,235,203, to support the Long Beach Cannabis Social Equity Program, from May 14, 2022 through May 13, 2023; and
Increase appropriations in the General Grants Fund Group in the City Manager’s Department by $3,235,203, offset by grant revenue from GO-Biz. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into an agreement with GO-Biz for a grant awarded to the Office of Cannabis Oversight (OCO) in the City Manager Department in the amount of $3,235,203 to support the Long Beach Cannabis Social Equity Program (Equity Program).
The Equity Program was approved by the City Council in August 2018, with the goal of promoting equal opportunity in the cannabis industry. Specifically, the Equity Program seeks to make legal cannabis business ownership and employment opportunities more accessible to low income individuals and communities negatively impacted by the prior criminalization of cannabis.
In accordance with the California Cannabis Equity Act as amended by AB 97, the California Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) entered into an interagency contract with GO-Biz to administer the Cannabis Equity Grants Program for local jurisdictions. On February 7, 2022, GO-Biz announced the recipients of $35 million in equity grant funding to support local jurisdictions that adopted a local cannabis equity program. Of this amount, the City of Long Beach (City) was awarded $3,235,203 million in GO-Biz grant funds. This is the third round of equity grant funding awarded to the City by GO-Biz. In Fiscal Year 2021, the City was awarded $1,267,044 from GO-Biz to support the Long Beach cannabis social equity program through direct grants, fee waivers, and direct te...
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