The Sacramento City Council on Tuesday gave a lifeline to a Sacramento man who is working to set up a storefront cannabis dispensary as part of the city’s Cannabis Opportunity Reinvestment and Equity (CORE) program.The CORE Program is aimed at promoting equity in the cannabis industry by offering training, technical and financial assistance to people who were disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs.One of the program participants, Jarett Hill, faced an April 1 deadline to become operational but asked for a one-year extension after his proposed business location was severely damaged in a fire in 2023. He found a new location in September 2025 but the city’s planning division later said the location wasn’t zoned correctly for a dispensary. Hill is now planning on opening the shop at 135 Main Avenue in north Sacramento, and is in the process of applying for required permits. Hill spoke at the meeting along with his business partner and several associates, who appealed to council members on his behalf. The council members discussed whether to deny the extension and admit another applicant on a waiting list for the program, or if they should grant an additional year’s extension to all others who face a 5-year deadline to become operational. Ultimately, council members voted to allow Hill to remain in the program for another year, agreeing that he shouldn’t be penalized because it wasn’t his fault that his initial location burned in a fire. A city spokesperson confirmed the decision applied to just the specific case. Hill was one of 10 people initially allowed to apply for permits after scoring the highest on a request for qualifications process. As of now, 14 applicants are in or have gone through the program, according to a city agenda item. Nine of the dispensaries are already operational; another has a deadline of Aug. 29, 2029, and three more have deadlines of May 23, 2030, to become operational. Some of the dispensaries that have opened under the program include Crystal Nugs and The Pocket Dispensary.Sacramento caps the number of dispensaries allowed in the city at 43 permits in all.Meanwhile, the city had been expected to vote this week on establishing permits for cannabis lounges, but that item was shelved. A specific date to discuss the issue hasn’t been set, but it is expected to return before the council in April, a city spokesperson confirmed. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
The Sacramento City Council on Tuesday gave a lifeline to a Sacramento man who is working to set up a storefront cannabis dispensary as part of the city’s Cannabis Opportunity Reinvestment and Equity (CORE) program.
The CORE Program is aimed at promoting equity in the cannabis industry by offering training, technical and financial assistance to people who were disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs.
One of the program participants, Jarett Hill, faced an April 1 deadline to become operational but asked for a one-year extension after his proposed business location was severely damaged in a fire in 2023.
He found a new location in September 2025 but the city’s planning division later said the location wasn’t zoned correctly for a dispensary. Hill is now planning on opening the shop at 135 Main Avenue in north Sacramento, and is in the process of applying for required permits.
Hill spoke at the meeting along with his business partner and several associates, who appealed to council members on his behalf.
The council members discussed whether to deny the extension and admit another applicant on a waiting list for the program, or if they should grant an additional year’s extension to all others who face a 5-year deadline to become operational.
Ultimately, council members voted to allow Hill to remain in the program for another year, agreeing that he shouldn’t be penalized because it wasn’t his fault that his initial location burned in a fire.
A city spokesperson confirmed the decision applied to just the specific case.
Hill was one of 10 people initially allowed to apply for permits after scoring the highest on a request for qualifications process. As of now, 14 applicants are in or have gone through the program, according to a city agenda item.
Nine of the dispensaries are already operational; another has a deadline of Aug. 29, 2029, and three more have deadlines of May 23, 2030, to become operational.
Some of the dispensaries that have opened under the program include Crystal Nugs and The Pocket Dispensary.
Sacramento caps the number of dispensaries allowed in the city at 43 permits in all.
Meanwhile, the city had been expected to vote this week on establishing permits for cannabis lounges, but that item was shelved.
A specific date to discuss the issue hasn’t been set, but it is expected to return before the council in April, a city spokesperson confirmed.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel