Attachment A - 2024 Oakland Equity Applicant Survey
1. Are you currently operating?
2. How long have you been operating?
3. Please select the top reason why you are not operating. If you select "Other," please explain.
4. How many individuals do you currently employ? For this question, an employee is someone who works at least 35 hours a week.
52 Responses
85:10
Average time to complete
Active
Status
Yes 41
No 11
0-6 months 3
7-12 months 4
1-2 years 6
More than 2 years 28
Incubation period ended and co… 0
Build-out was too expensive. 1
It took too long to generate rev… 1
Burglaries 2
Negative incubation experience. 0
Other 7
None. I run my business by mys… 30
1-2 4
3-5 5
6-10 0
More than 10 2
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5.Have you added or reduced staff in the last 12 months?
6.What barriers are you encountering as you establish a compliant cannabis business (please select all thatapply)? If you select "Other," please explain.
7.Which of the following City departments/outside agencies have been a barrier as you establish your business?Please select all that apply.
8.Has your business or staff experienced any burglaries or robberies? Added staff. 5
Reduced staff. 15
Staffing level has stayed the sa… 21
None 2
Finding a location7
Slow buildout 12
Obtaining insurance7
Hiring and training staff5
State licensing compliance10
Legal disputes 3
Tax problems 10
Lack of capital 34
Other 10
Special Activity Permits Division8
Bureau of Planning14
Bureau of Building15
Fire Prevention Bureau13
Oakland Police Department5
Alameda County Environmental …3
EBMUD 4
PG&E 2
None of these agencies have be…30
Yes 34
No 18
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9.How much have burglaries/robberies cost your business financially?
10.After the burglary/robbery, did your business do any of the following? Please select all that apply and pleasedescribe if you select "other."
11.After the burglary/robbery, did your business file an insurance claim, and if so, did your business receive apayout from your insurance company?
12.Can you please explain why you did not file an insurance claim? 17Responses Latest Responses
13.Please rate your business' future outlook.
Less than $10,00014
$10,001-$25,000 4
$25,001-$50,000 5
$50,001-$75,000 4
$75,001-$100,0002
$100,001-$200,0004
More than $200,0001
File a police report26
Apply for the City of Oakland's … 9
Other 6
No, our business did not file an …17
Yes, our business filed a claim a… 0
Yes, our business filed a claim a… 1
Our business filed a claim but re…12
Very promising 6
Promising 16
Neutral 17
Negative 8
Very Negative 5
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14.Now that the City Council has approved equity applicants transferring their permits to general applicants, doyou plan on selling your business and transferring your permit(s) to another business?
15.Have you received a grant or loan from the City of Oakland?
16.What impact did receiving funding from the City have on your business?
17.Have you received a loan from the City of Oakland?
18.Now that the City Council has authorized equity applicants converting unpaid loans into grants, do you planon converting any of your outstanding loan balance into a grant? Please note any loan amount that isconverted to a grant will reduce your future grant eligibility by that amount.
Yes 3
I have not decided14
I am considering the option13
No 20
Other 2
Yes 45
No 7
The funding allowed our busine…7
The funding allowed our busine…32
The funding had no noticeable i…1
Other 5
Yes 30
No 15
Yes 21
No 9
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19.How do you recommend that the City provide capital to operators: grants, interest-free revolving loans, orboth? Please note that while loans must be repaid, loans are not taxable and loan repayments provide futurefunds for equity applicants. On the other hand, grants need not be repaid, but they are taxable and provideno future funds to equity applicants.
20.The City is looking for strategies to streamline grant/loan processing going forward and ensure funds are usedmost effectively. By clicking on the up or down arrows, please prioritize the below options for funding (1=toppriority for funding; 6=lowest priority).
21.What strategies do you recommend for streamlining loan/grant funding going forward? 52Responses
Latest Responses
"Less processes "
"Keep using the online system for us to use to submit applications and track pro… "Have monthly mandatory accountability meetings, making sure that everythin…
22.Have you utilized Knox and Ross, the City's legal assistance provider for equity applicants?
23.How would you rank Knox and Ross' services?
Grants only 20
Interest-free revolving loans only1
Both grants and interest-free re…31
1 Equity applicants who can demo…
2 Equity applicants who already h…
3 Equity manufacturers in shared-…
4 Equity-owned brick and mortar …
5 Equity cultivators, since operatin…
6 Equity applicants who do not ha…
Yes 29
No 23
Very helpful 18
Somewhat helpful5
Neither helpful nor unhelpful2
Somewhat unhelpful1
Very unhelpful 3
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24.Do you have any comments or suggestions regarding Knox and Ross? 18Responses
Latest Responses
"I am currently working with Knox and Ross to recover payments from the busin… "Record more content "
25.Have you utilized Oaksterdam University, the City's free technical assistance provider for equity applicants?
26.How would you rank Oaksterdam University's services?
27.Do you have any comments or suggestions regarding Oaksterdam University? 35Responses
Latest Responses
"This is a great partnership!"
"not sure exactly how they can help me or who is working with that team to pro…
28.Have you utilized Elevate Impact, the administrator of the City's loan and grant programs for equityapplicants?
29.How would you rank Elevate Impact's services?
Yes 35
No 17
Very helpful 16
Somewhat helpful8
Neither helpful nor unhelpful3
Somewhat unhelpful6
Very unhelpful 2
Yes 44
No 8
Very helpful 16
Somewhat helpful11
Neither helpful nor unhelpful3
Somewhat unhelpful5
Very unhelpful 9
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30.Do you have any comments or suggestions regarding Elevate Impact? 31Responses
Latest Responses
"To be more responsive."
"They were helpful, entire team was reachable and always willing to help! " "Great Program "
31.How can the City of Oakland better support your business? 41Responses
Latest Responses
"Assist EA’s with connecting with reputable business partners." "keep up the good work! I appreciate you Oakland "
"Marketing opportunities "
32.What else would you like to say about operating a cannabis business in Oakland? 41Responses
Latest Responses
"I think it’s a great program, I just need to get more looped in." "It's easy to navigate thanks to the support that we have from the City of Oakla… "It’s been long and hard but I love my business."
33.Please select your age or the average age of your business' partners/owners/board members.
34.Please select your age or the average age of your business' partners/owners/board members. 21-30 3
31-40 19
41-50 16
51-60 6
Over 60 6
Decline to state 2
21-30 3
31-40 19
41-50 13
51-60 7
Over 60 5
Decline to state 4
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35.Please select all gender options below that represent your business' owners/partners/board members.
36.Please select all sexual orientation options below that represent your business' owners/partners/boardmembers.
37.Please select all race and ethnicity options below that represent all of your business' owners/partners/boardmembers.
38.Please select the level(s) of education that represent(s) all of your business' owners/partners/board members.
Male 28
Female 31
Non-binary 2
Transgender 0
Not listed 0
Decline to state 6
Heterosexual/straight35
Homosexual/gay 7
Bisexual 5
Not listed 1
Decline to state 14
American Indian/Native American3
Asian 8
Black/African-American38
Hispanic/Latino 9
Native Hawaiian 1
White 9
Not listed 1
Decline to state 6
No high school diploma0
High school diploma8
Some college, no degree19
Bachelor's degree26
Graduate or professional degree8
Decline to state 5
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39.Does one or more of your business' owners/partners/board members have a disability?
40.Please select the annual personal income level(s) that represent(s) all of your business' owners/partners/boardmembers.
41.Has any owner/partner/board member of your business or any immediate family members (parent, sibling,spouse, child) been convicted of or incarcerated for any cannabis related charges?
42.Has any of your business owners/partners/board members served or are currently active in the military? Yes 11
No 34
Decline to state 7
Less than $20,00010
$20,000-$39,999 11
$40,000-$59,999 10
$60,000-$79,999 11
$80,000-$100,0001
More than $100,0001
Decline to state 8
Yes 25
No 19
Decline to state 8
Yes 3
No 42
Decline to state 7
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