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Board Of Supervisors Unanimously Approves Cannabis Equity Legislation Introduced by Mayor London Breed

Legislation aims to bolster the City’s Cannabis Equity Program and further support cannabis business owners

Published

5 years ago

October 6, 2021

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On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors unanimously passed legislation introduced by Mayor London N. Breed to enhance the impact of the City’s Cannabis Equity Program and support all cannabis businesses in San Francisco. The legislation builds on the Program’s original goal to combat disparities in the cannabis industry by establishing a social equity program in San Francisco. The Cannabis Equity Program, which launched in 2018, was created to lower the barriers to cannabis licensing and provide workforce opportunities to those who were hit hardest by the War on Drugs.

The legislation modifies the permit process and creates new processing priorities in the Office of Cannabis to increase opportunities for prospective equity businesses. The legislation also provides greater ownership flexibility for cannabis businesses and preserves equity commitments in the program.

“As San Francisco works to recover from COVID-19, it’s important that we support small businesses, including our cannabis industry,” said Breed. “This legislation helps us make sure the program continues to achieve its goals and ensure that cannabis business owners are supported and have the resources they need to be successful in San Francisco.”

Since the establishment of the Cannabis Equity Program, 94 Equity Applicants have applied for permits to operate cannabis businesses in San Francisco. To date, San Francisco has issued 36 permits to equity cannabis businesses, including permanent and temporary permits. In addition to issuing permits for businesses, San Francisco’s Office of Cannabis administers grants for Equity Applicants, who are individuals that meet criteria based on residency, income, criminal justice involvement, and housing insecurity.

These grants, funded by the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) and the Department of Cannabis Control, can be used for start-up and ongoing costs. San Francisco has received approximately $6.3 million in grants from GO-Biz and BCC. To date, the City has approved funding requests for 45 grantees, ranging from around $50,000 to $100,000 each, and nearly $3 million has been disbursed. The remaining grant funds are in the process of being redistributed to equity businesses.

The legislation creates measures to ensure the cannabis industry in San Francisco continues to support communities that have historically been harmed by the War on Drugs.

Specifically, the legislation:

Prioritizes Cannabis Equity Applicants who are sole proprietors for permit processing
- Equity Applicants will continue to receive top priority
- Non-equity owners who support Equity Applicants through shared manufacturing will also receive heightened priority
Shortens the time period for a transfer of more than a 50% ownership interest in a Cannabis Business from 10 years to five years, giving businesses more flexibility to grow
Requires that cannabis businesses make additional social equity contributions if they seek to reduce the equity applicant’s ownership interest by 20% or more
- These commitments include opportunities to provide hiring, training, and mentorship and provide other forms of support to cannabis equity businesses or local organizations

“Being the First Latina-owned cannabis dispensary owner/CEO of Stiiizy Union Square feels surreal,” said Equity Permit holder Cindy De La Vega. “My grand opening was Oct. 9, 2020, during a very difficult time for all of us, and especially for areas like Union Square. I am grateful for the San Francisco Equity Program and proud to be permit No. 11. I look forward to using my opportunity to show others that the San Francisco Equity Program does work and should be the blueprint for others to bring to their cities.”

“I’m grateful to the City and the State for this opportunity,” said Ali Jamalian, founder and CEO of Kiffen LLC and Equity Permit holder. “Thank you to the Office of Cannabis for standing up this Pilot Program. The money is incredibly helpful and allows me to scale my business during a difficult time. I’m hopeful that all eligible equity applicants will take advantage of the opportunity.”

The cannabis industry in San Francisco is important for the City’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Cannabis businesses have created jobs and provided local San Francisco residents with meaningful access to income, as many in the City have worried about employment. Over the past year-and-a-half, 17 new equity cannabis businesses have opened, each creating local job opportunities and generating sales tax revenue to fund other social services and programs. During this same time, approximately 75 cannabis businesses also operated with temporary permits, and an additional 38 businesses operated as medical cannabis dispensaries. San Francisco’s cannabis businesses employ approximately 70 local residents through the City’s First Source Hiring Program.

“Thank you to Mayor Breed for strengthening social equity and creating more economic opportunities to those hurt by the War on Drugs,” said Marisa Rodriguez, director of the Office of Cannabis. “Mayor Breed’s legislation ensures that there will continue to be a legacy of equity in the City for years to come.”

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Trader Vic’s Returns to Its Oakland Roots

Trader Vic’s, the internationally recognized brand and birthplace of the original Mai Tai, has officially returned to its roots in Oakland. Originally founded in 1934 on San Pablo Avenue before moving to Emeryville, the hospitality giant has launched Trader Vic’s Outpost at Oakland International Airport’s Terminal 2. The new full-service location offers travelers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and cocktails in a 108-seat space designed to celebrate the city’s status as a top national food destination. Visit the website to read more.

Published

2 days ago

October 19, 2026

Post News Group

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee cuts the ribbon at the official opening of Trader Vic’s Outpost and Plum Market at Oakland International Airport. She is assisted by U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon as Port of Oakland Board President Stephanie Dominguez Walton, left, and representatives from Trader Vic's, Plum Market, look on. Photo courtesy of the mayor’s office.

By Special to The Post

Oakland has always been a city of innovators, entrepreneurs, visionaries, and world-class hospitality. Trader Vic’s—the birthplace of the original Mai Tai – first opened in Oakland back in 1934 on San Pablo Avenue, long before becoming an internationally recognized global brand.

More than 50 years after it moved to Emeryville, Trader Vic’s is returning to its roots. Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee touts the return as another victory for Oakland.

“My administration is deeply committed to backing businesses like Trader Vic’s and Plum Market—partners who invest in our city, uplift our local workforce, and support thousands of local jobs,” Lee said.

The latest Trader Vic’s – called Trader Vic’s Outpost – is located at the Oakland International Airport in Terminal 2 near Gate 25 and had a soft opening in August.

With 108 dining seats, 28 bar seats and a counter for standing-room customers, travelers from around the world can have a full-service restaurant and bar experience or take-out for those with planes to catch.

Open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktails will be served.

Trader Vic’s returning to its roots confirms Condé Nast’s decision to name Oakland the #1 Food City in America two years in a row, and just earlier this month, ranked Oakland #6 on their list of Best Cities in the U.S.!

“The opening at OAK is incredibly meaningful for us,” said Rhett Rosen, CEO of Trader Vic’s Hospitality Group, according to the company website. “Trader Vic’s was born in the Bay Area, and this new location gives us the chance to welcome travelers with a taste of that original spirit before they take off. It brings together everything people love about Trader Vic’s — great cocktails, flavorful food, warm hospitality and a little sense of escape — in a place that connects Oakland to the world.”

Trader Vic’s is an Oakland institution and one of the region’s most recognizable hospitality brands, said Port of Oakland Director of Aviation Craig Simon on the web site.

“Travelers are increasingly seeking dining options that are memorable, locally rooted, and uniquely representative of the communities they are visiting. Trader Vic’s delivers all of that while providing a high-quality food and beverage experience for our guests. We are proud to welcome this hometown favorite to Terminal 2,”

The original Trader Vic’s in Oakland:

In 1934, with an investment of $500, Bergeron opened his initially small restaurant at 65th Avenue and San Pablo, serving comfort foods for lunch and dinner and beers and whiskeys. As his clientele grew, so did his restaurant, expanding space and menu options. After visiting this establishment, famed San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen proclaimed that the “best restaurant in San Francisco is in Oakland.”

There were as many as 25 franchises worldwide, including the U.S. Trader Vic’s is now headquartered in Martinez.

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Oakland Coal Terminal Backed by Trump Would Be Bigger, Dirtier Than Promised, Says Report

A recent feasibility study commissioned by potential investors says an Oakland coal terminal backed by President Donald Trump could export 13 million tons a year — three times the amount estimated in an earlier environmental review. Surprisingly, the report also contradicts devel

Published

2 days ago

October 19, 2026

Post News Group

East Bay residents have been fighting alongside No Coal in Oakland for more than a decade. Photo courtesy of No Coal in Oakland.

By Post Staff

Surprisingly, the report also contradicts developers’ and project advocates’ repeated pledges that the coal would be stored in a covered terminal. Instead, the millions of tons of coal shipped annually from inland states to the West Gateway terminal in Oakland would be stored in “two open-air bunkers,” with about 150,000 tons of coal per stockpile, before being sent overseas, according to the recent report cited by the L.A. Times. (https://ruic.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Port-Study-RUIC-Bulk-Commodity-Ocean-Terminals-Study.pdf)

Residents and clean air advocates have long expressed concerns that coal dust would worsen pollution in West Oakland and throughout the East Bay.

The proposed site of the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal (OBOT) is located at the former Army base near the Port of Oakland, which developer Phil Tagami has been trying for years to turn into a shipping terminal despite determined community opposition.

Trump announced a $75-million investment in the project in June, about a third of its estimated cost. The new terminal would be the largest coal export site on the West Coast, transporting coal to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam and Malaysia, according to the Trump administration.

Opponents say a new terminal would undermine years of progress cleaning up the air in West Oakland, which has a history of disproportionate pollution and high asthma rates due to its proximity to the port and other industry.

According to No Coal in Oakland organizer Ted Franklin, who has been active for 11 years in the fight to stop the coal terminal, the report indicates that investors may be looking for a cheaper way to build the terminal.

“We were shocked but not surprised” by the report, Franklin said. “Basically, it seems that the plan now is to store open piles of coal, which is a less expensive project than creating a completely enclosed facility.”

The threats that the project poses are real, but it faces a lot of economic and legal hurdles, he said.

Coal production is in permanent decline worldwide, he said, wondering who was going to “invest money in an industry that has no future.”

Further, the project has not yet attracted big investors. “There’s no bank, no financing, no financial institution backing this,” he continued.

A major legal hurdle facing the project is the passage of Assemblymember Mia Bonta’s bill, AB 40, the Community-First Coal Review Act, signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 30.

The law requires developers of large-volume bulk coal facilities to complete a full Environmental Impact Report (EIR) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) before they can operate.

The law was specifically designed to block or delay the coal terminal project.

The report to potential developers was produced by consulting groups Norda Stelo and Wood Mackenzie in July and released this month. It was commissioned by the Rural Utah Infrastructure Coalition, made up of eight Utah counties that are considering investing about $43 million into the terminal to receive Utah coal.

The consultants produced their findings after visiting Oakland, examining engineering documents and holding discussions with Savage Cos., a Utah-based transport and logistics company selected to operate the facility

Research has shown that coal terminal operations can be dangerous to public health. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach moved away from open-air coal and petroleum coke storage three decades ago.

The report says that the site could process 12 million metric tons, or 13.2 million tons, of coal each year, three times more than the terminal’s approved environmental impact report from 2002 and its 2012 addendum. Neither document mentions coal specifically, but rather bulk commodities.

The coal arriving in Oakland could also be dirtier then had been previously stated, according to the report. Project officials previously said the terminal would handle only high-grade western bituminous coal from Utah, but the recent report says it will also handle Powder River Basin coal from Wyoming and Montana, known to be much dustier.

Nor does the report mention plans to cover the rail cars to prevent pollution, though project officials previously promised they would only utilize coal transported in covered rail cars.

“It appears the developers want to build something much bigger and more polluting than anything they previously revealed, either in court or to the West Oakland community,” said Colin O’Brien, deputy managing attorney at the nonprofit Earthjustice, speaking to the L.A. Times.

The report indicates that the project may be much more expensive and take longer to complete than anticipated. The Energy Department estimates the terminal will cost about $231 million, but the report places the price at between $430 million and $625 million.

The terminal will take 53 months to complete according to the report, significantly longer than Trump’s promise of exports beginning in 2028.

Ted Franklin’s column, “Utah Study Blesses Investment in Oakland Coal Terminal but Leaves Key Questions Unanswered” is available at https://nocoalinoakland.info/utah-study-blesses-investment-in-oakland/