To: Board of Supervisors
From: County Administrative Office
Agenda Section: Departmental
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
Project Trellis Local Equity Program Update and Community Equity Grant (CEG) Award
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Receive Project Trellis efficacy report; and
2. Authorize the County Administrative Officer to accept the CEG for fiscal year (FY) 2024-25; and
3. Provide direction to staff on the continued implementation of the Project Trellis Local Equity Program.
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STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board's Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: A Diverse, Equitable & Robust Economy
Strategic Plan Category: 2001 - Promote strong economic resiliency and growth
DISCUSSION:
The County of Humboldt's Cannabis Local Equity Program, commonly referred to as Project Trellis or Project Trellis Local Equity Program, is a state-funded initiative designed to support local communities and individuals that were negatively impacted by cannabis prohibition. Since its inception in 2019, the program has provided over 430 grants, dispersing approximately $10 million to Humboldt County cannabis business operators (Attachment 1). Currently the program supports direct payments to applicants for a broad set of uses and payments on behalf to the Treasurer-Tax Collector for past due Measure S taxes and to Planning and Building for past due fees.
On Dec. 10, 2024, your Board authorized staff to apply for $600,000 in CEG funding for the program. At the same time, your Board approved the required match of $100,000 from the county's general fund for FY 2025-26, which had been committed as an ongoing annual allocation first approved on June 14, 2022. On Jan. 23, 2025, the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) informed county staff that Humboldt County's application was eligible for $657,436.98, contingent upon the county providing the $100,000 match.
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