NEW BEDFORD — The Houz of Diesel has been paying $2,000 a month over 31 months to reserve its future space at 301 Herman Melville Blvd. for a retail cannabis shop/manufacturer while the permitting process drags on.

The company has been awaiting city approval of a Host Community Agreement, an important step in the process. Its owners presented a completed 203-page application to the city on Nov. 13, 2023.

A cannabis-business consultant hired by Houz of Diesel said it typically takes two months to secure a Host Community Agreement, or HCA, after an applicant has held a community outreach meeting. Houz of Diesel’s was held Sept. 14, 2023.

The minority-owned business is applying under the state Cannabis Control Commission’s social equity program.

Social equity rules are designed, in part

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