As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, Los Angeles is one step closer to cannabis licensing. Here is the latest from our Los Angeles cannabis attorneys who attended today’s City Council meeting. Today the Council further discussed the Social Equity Program and the 4 Tiers of priority that will be given to eligible applicants. Tier 1 will get the highest priority for Los Angeles cannabis licensing (after Measure M Retail priority which you can read more about here), and Tier 4 will get the lowest of the Social Equity applicants.

Los Angeles introduced the following Criteria for each tier:
- Tier 1:
- Low Income and
- Prior California Cannabis Conviction and
- 5 year residency in an area disproportionately impacted area (an area affected by the war on drugs) — please see City Council Agenda which contains the social equity study for which neighborhoods qualify
- 51% ownership by Social Equity qualifying individual
- Tier 2:
- Low Income and
- 5 year residency in an area disproportionately affected by the war on drugs
- 51% ownership by Social Equity qualifying individual
- 50% local hires from neighborhood
- Tier 3:
- Low Income and 5 year cumulative residency in an area disproportionately affected by the war on drugs
- OR 10 year cumulative residency in an area disproportionately impacted area
- 33.3% ownership by Social equity Applicant
- 50% local hire
- Must find new Social Equity partner if equity partner goes out of business
- Tier 4:
- General applicant who provides ownership, capital, ownership, licensing and compliance support, or leased space to Social Equity Applicant.
{{cta(’75c98fad-ab66-4c34-8425-715e7e57d0c5′)}} to find out more about the Social Equity program and how you can apply yourself or sponsor a Tier 1 or 2 applicant.