TITLE
Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager, or designee, to execute an agreement, all necessary documents and amendments, with the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), to receive and expend grant funding in the amount of $2,700,000, to support the Long Beach cannabis social equity program, for the approximate period of June 15, 2020 through June 14, 2021; and
Increase appropriations in the General Grants Fund Group in the City Manager Department by $2,700,000, offset by grant revenue. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The Office of Cannabis Oversight (OCO) in the City Manager Department was recently awarded $2,700,000 by the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) 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 of 2018 (Equity Act), the California Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) entered into an interagency contract with Go-Biz to administer the equity grant. On April 21, 2020, Go-Biz announced the recipients of $30 million in equity grant funding to support local jurisdictions that adopted a local cannabis equity program. Of this amount, the City of Long Beach was awarded $2,700,000 in GO-Biz grant funds.
Consistent with Go-Biz regulations on the eligible use of grant funds, the OCO intends to use Go-Biz funding to expand the direct grant program for equity applicants. Direct grants help offset significant costs associated with obtaining a cannabis business license. Through the Go-Biz grant, equity applicants will be eligible ...
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