Rules Committee recommends seven members to Cannabis Oversight Committee amid equity and market concerns

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ Rules Committee on May 22 recommended seven candidates for appointment to the Cannabis Oversight Committee and forwarded the recommendations to the full Board with a unanimous committee vote.

Chair Supervisor Matt Dorsey moved to recommend applicants for several seats and to approve residency waivers where requested. The committee voted unanimously (Vice Chair Shimon Walton, Supervisor Asha Safai and Chair Dorsey recorded as "Aye") to send the recommended slate to the full Board. The motion listed the recommended appointees as: Ali Jamalian (seat 8), Adam Hayes (seat 9), Apollo Wallace (seat 11, residency waiver approved), Drakari (Jakari) Donaldson (seat 12), David Talley (seat 13, residency waiver approved), Shay (Shay Aaron) Gilmore (seat 14), and Antoinette Mobley (seat 16).

The hearing featured extended public testimony and applicant statements. Applicants described a mix of industry experience and community roots: Ali Jamalian noted prior service and chairing of a previous committee; Alexander Assefa highlighted Oaksterdam training and ownership of a local business; Jakari Donaldson discussed operating California Street Cannabis Company; Joshua Malcolm Weitz warned that "our fledgling legal market is in crisis," urging supports such as grants and technical assistance to keep equity participants viable; and others described organizing, legal and consumer-advocacy backgrounds.

Community groups and individuals (including the Brownie Mary Democratic Club, the Success Center and labor representatives) called in and spoke in support of many applicants, citing mentorship, local investment and equity work. Nina Parks, who previously chaired a verified equity seat, urged stronger formal communication channels between the committee and supervisors and proposed adding seats for events and for the Human Rights Commission to strengthen oversight.

During committee remarks, Supervisor Asha Safai pressed the need to protect equity applicants amid market saturation and public-safety threats, saying the city is "working with operators to increase public safety" and citing coordination with SFPD and code changes allowing security gates. Safai also said a pause on new applications is being considered to allow current and equity applicants to "catch up;" she pointed to the equity requirement that equity participants hold minimum ownership shares.

The committee also clarified seat qualifications for several positions on the oversight committee (equity seat definitions; cultivation/distributor seats limited by employee counts; organized labor seats; storefront retailer seats; and a medical cannabis patient/consumer seat requiring five years’ experience). Several applicants requested residency waivers; the committee approved waivers for Apollo Wallace and David Talley as part of its recommendation.

The motion to recommend was put forward by Chair Dorsey and passed without objection; the clerk recorded the roll call and the committee’s unanimous recommendation. The recommended appointments and approved waivers will move to the full Board for confirmation.