LA County's Cannabis Equity Program, run by the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs under Ordinance 2022-0023, gives priority licensing, fee waivers, and technical assistance to applicants harmed by past cannabis enforcement in unincorporated areas.
Adopted in 2022 and codified in LA County Code Title 7, the Equity Program targets applicants meeting income, prior-cannabis-conviction, and residency criteria tied to disproportionately impacted unincorporated communities such as East LA, Florence-Graham, and Willowbrook. DCBA administers the application windows, residency verification, and compliance monitoring. Equity licensees receive priority over non-equity applicants when commercial cannabis licensing rolls out under the Title 22 amendments. Ownership-transfer locks prevent equity licenses from being sold to outside investors during a multi-year holding period. The program coordinates with the state Department of Cannabis Control equity grants for capital and compliance support.
Misrepresenting equity eligibility, transferring ownership outside permitted equity holders, or violating program rules triggers application denial, license revocation, and clawback of fee waivers granted by DCBA under Title 7.
See how Pasadena's social equity licensing rules stack up against other locations.
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