On November 30, 2022, a lawsuit was filed in federal district court challenging the City’s upcoming retail cannabis application lottery. The lawsuit is part of a nationwide trend of coordinated legal proceedings seeking to dismantle social equity programs like the City’s. Following a hearing earlier today, the Court denied the plaintiffs’ application for a temporary restraining order (TRO) and ruled that the Phase 3 Retail Round 2 lottery may proceed. As a result, DCR will continue with its planned Phase 3 Retail Round 2 lottery tomorrow, December 8, 2022, at 2:00 PM PT as scheduled. We look forward to administering tomorrow’s lottery and will be in touch with those selected.

Please note, although the Court denied the TRO, the lawsuit is not yet over. It is possible subsequent court rulings will impact the licensing and lottery process. DCR will provide updates on the litigation as necessary.