Palm Springs accepts $650,000 state cannabis equity grant to support local permittees

The City Council voted Feb. 11 to accept a state equity grant for the city's cannabis equity program. Veronica Goodhart, director of code compliance, told the council the city was awarded $650,000 for the current grant term (April 1, 2026–Oct. 31, 2027) and outlined that $592,000 will be directed to permittees, approximately $20,500 to education, and the remainder to grant administration and program support.

Goodhart described program elements that include direct financial assistance for capital and lease costs, workforce development in partnership with College of the Desert, and expungement clinics for qualifying applicants. She said the city currently supports four equity committees/businesses (including Holland Farms and other local equity ventures) and that a 1% set‑aside of local cannabis tax revenue exists to match state requirements when necessary.

Council members questioned benchmarks and asked staff to publish more transparent per‑recipient funding details; Goodhart said committee profiles and program information are available on the city's cannabis equity web page and staff offered to add per‑recipient amounts to forthcoming materials. Councilmember Bernstein moved the item and Councilmember DeHart seconded; the motion passed.