Community Corner
Cathedral City Awarded $4.5M to Strengthen Cannabis Enforcement
Cathedral City has been awarded a large state grant to combat illicit cannabis activity. Here's what that means for residents.
CATHEDRAL CITY, CA — Cathedral City has been awarded a $4.5 million state grant to combat illicit cannabis activity, officials announced Tuesday.
"This grant builds on the momentum we've created with our new cannabis ordinance and is a direct investment in the safety and quality of life of our residents," City Manager Andrew Firestine said in a statement.
The city will use the funding towards its Cannabis Enforcement Capacity Improvement Project in the following ways:
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-- Increase enforcement across police departments, fire departments and code compliance;
-- Modernize the city's regulatory and permitting systems;
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-- Expand environmental and public health protections;
-- Address hazardous materials incidents and illegal extraction operations;
-- Reduce widespread odor impacts, and
-- Protect youth from exposure risks associated to cannabis activity.
On Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state awarded roughly $227 million in Proposition 64 grant funding to help numerous California communities strengthen public health and address environmental issues associated with illegal cannabis operations.
"The voters created a legal, regulated cannabis market and we have a responsibility to make sure it works as intended. That means continuing to crack down on illegal cannabis operations that threaten public safety, exploit workers, damage the environment and undercut legal businesses that follow the rules," Newsom said in a statement.
The Proposition 64 Public Health and Safety Grant Program was established in 2016 and addresses several cannabis-related impacts, including public safety and enforcement, youth prevention and intervention and environmental impacts.
Cathedral City, which has more than 60 licensed cannabis businesses, has updated its ordinance following complaints from local residents about persistent cannabis odors in 2024. Ordinance 892 was adopted in October 2025 and added new odor control measures, clearer enforcement procedures, improvements to inspection practices and stricter time frames for renewals and licensing.
