Memorandum
Date: November 17, 2020
To: The Honorable Moke Simon, Chair, Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Carol J. Huchingson, County Administrative Officer
Subject: Discussion of Proposition 64 Draft Cannabis Equity Assessment and Funding For Equity Program
Executive Summary: (include fiscal and staffing impact narrative):
On April 21st, 2020, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development announced its intent to award a $150,000 Type I Funding grant to Lake County to fund the development of a cannabis equity program. On August 11th, the California Center for Rural Policy at Humboldt State University (CCRP) was selected by the County as the consultant to assist in this process.
The State requires that a Cannabis Equity Assessment (CEA) for Lake County be completed in order to create a local equity plan. The stated goal of the CEA is to provide “a summary of that data and recommendations for a local equity program that will provide assistance to community members that experienced harm from decades of criminalization of cannabis and poverty and support their participation in the legal cannabis industry in Lake County.” To develop the CEA, CCRP has engaged in interviews throughout the community including county staff, elected officials, cultivators, and law enforcement. CCRP has further developed information from secondary resources. The draft CEA is before your Board today to provide an opportunity for comments and public discussion.
Due to the pandemic, the State has not yet set an actual date to begin accepting Type II Funding requests, but it is anticipated to be in early 2021. A final version of the CEA will be brought back to your Board in December for approval. This will enable the local equity plan to be developed and adopted in January 2021, to ensure the County is able to submit its Type II application and secure the state funding needed to implement the program next year.
A second point for your Board to consider is whether to contribute an amount of local funds to the Equity Program. The State has previously indicated a desire that jurisdictions contribute funds of their own to demonstrate a commitment to the program. Based off experience in nearby jurisdictions, it may be appropriate to consider $50,000.00 as a matching commitment, contingent upon the award of State funding in Spring. Comparable counties were awarded over $2 million each last year, with the level of available funding this year not yet having been set. If your Board wishes to allocate such funds Staff will return with a resolution at the time of final approval.
The draft CEA is attached for your consideration.
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Recommended Action: Provide direction to staff on Cannabis Equity Assessment and Funding.