A bill that would penalize landlords for knowingly leasing space to illegal marijuana dispensaries is slated to pass during Thursday’s City Council session.
With the support of more than half of the Council, the bill — which is up for a committee vote before Thursday’s full Council meeting — is designed to help the city crack down on illicit smoke shops by holding commercial landlords accountable with fines that start at $1,000 and go up after subsequent violations. The measure also requires authorities to submit a quarterly enforcement report to the mayor and Council.
Councilmember Lynn Schulman, the bill’s lead sponsor, said during a hearing Tuesday that the new rules will help address a pressing issue that has been plaguing neighborhoods across the city.
“By holding landlords accountable for knowingly enabling these illegal activities, we can restore the trust and security that our residents deserve,” she said.
Since marijuana was legalized in New York State two years ago, the city and state have struggled to keep unlicensed dispensaries in check. Hundreds of unlicensed vendors are allegedly selling weed, tobacco, and other substances that aren’t regulated by city or state officials.
Last year, Mayor Eric Adams created a task force aimed at smoking out unlicensed and untaxed dispensaries. In February, the Manhattan district attorney asked landlords to evict tenants who are operating illegal shops. And in May, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation as part of the state budget that allows shops to be fined up to $20,000 a day for unlicensed sales.
“We acknowledge that Albany dropped the ball here when they legalized these retail licenses without any sort of clear enforcement component,” said Councilmember Justin Brannan on Tuesday, who is also sponsoring the measure. “Unfortunately, in the city, we’re the ones that have to deal with their mess.”
Giulia Heyward contributed reporting.
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