CO is for Community
. . .Introducing the Housing Works CAURD Community Initiative!
Housing Works also been a leader in social enterprise retail for the past 30 years, funding our services and advocacy through a chain of successful Thrift Shops, a Bookstore Cafe, and online retail. In December 2022 we made history when we opened Housing Works Cannabis Co, New York’s first adult-use cannabis dispensary. We are now sharing our resources and expertise with social equity license holders to help realize the vision of a more diverse and equitable cannabis market in New York.
Housing Works learned firsthand how challenging it is to open a dispensary in a highly regulated market. That singular experience made clear that CAURD holders—individuals who don’t have access to the same resources as a large nonprofit organization—could really struggle to open up their dispensaries. Given our deep roots and long history of helping New Yorkers, the decision to work closely with other CAURD license holders was an easy one to make.
The Housing WorksCAURD Community was created to help keep the New York cannabis market equitable by supporting CAURD licensees in opening their dispensaries. We connect partners to startup capital, provide back-office infrastructure and training on dispensary operations, and assist in securing real estate.
The full package of support and mentorship covers specifics such as:
- Human resources, including recruitment, payroll, and more
- Accounts payable and bookkeeping
- Guidance on dispensary operations and compliance
- Retail best practices and customer service
- Facility design and renovation support
- Introducing partners to investors
- In select cases, guaranteeing the lease
Five inaugural members of the HWCC CAURD Community Initiative will open their doors between February and April 2024. We are proud of ourCommunity and can’t wait to support more CAURD licensees in making the dream of a truly equitable cannabis market a reality.