Become an Equity Applicant or Incubator

The City's groundbreaking Equity Permit Program is designed to minimize barriers to cannabis licensing for those who have been the most victimized by the war on drugs. Find out how to qualify.

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EQUITY PROVISIONS & APPLICANT CRITERIA

During the initial permitting phase, a minimum of half of all permits must be issued to Equity applicants.

An eligible Equity applicant is an Oakland resident who either has a cannabis conviction in Oakland after November 5, 1996 or has lived for 10 of the last 20 years in the police beats with disproportionately higher number of cannabis-related arrests: 2X, 2Y, 5X, 6X, 7X, 8X, 19X, 21X, 21Y, 23X, 26Y, 27X, 27Y, 29X, 30X, 30Y, 31Y, 32X, 33X, 34X and 35X. Use the Police Beat Locator to find the beat your reside in.

Equity applicants must show an annual income at or less then 80% of the 2018 Oakland Average Medium Income (AMI) thresholds:

  • $73,100 for a one-person household
  • $83,550 for a two-person household
  • $94,000 for a three-person household
  • $104,000 for a four-person household
  • $112,800 for a five-person household
  • $121,150 for a six-person household
  • $129,500 for a seven-person household
  • $137,850 for an eight-person household

See Cannabis Permit Application (page 4) for the full list of documents accepted for proof of income and residency.

INCUBATOR CRITERIA & BENEFITS:

The City's cannabis regulations reward General applicants that provide free space and "incubate" Equity applicants. As an incubator, a General applicant receives permitting priority over the other General applicants.

Incubator qualifications: The General applicant must prove an Equity applicant with three years free rent and have access to a minimum of 1000 square feet to conduct its business operations and any required security measures. This space may be located EITHER at the General applicant's place of business or in another location in zones approved for cannabis activity.

Partner Match: Looking for a partner to complete your Equity or General permit application process? CannaEquity's free online tool makes it simple to find potential partners with complementary qualifications. Start your search.

For more information visit our Resources Page.

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