Every licensed dispensary in New York traces its lineage to one afternoon: December 29, 2022, when Housing Works Cannabis Co opened its doors at 750 Broadway and made the state's first legal adult-use sale. The grand opening was set for 4:20 p.m. Nearly four years later the store holds license number OCM-CAURD-22-000001, the only CAURD license dated 2022 in the state's registry, and it remains one of the few dispensaries in the country run as a charity.
A former Gap store at Astor Place
The flagship sits at 750 Broadway, at Eighth Street near Astor Place, on the seam between the East Village, NoHo and Greenwich Village. ABC7 reported at the time that the store took over a former Gap retail space. Transit could hardly be easier: the 6 train at Astor Place, the R and W at 8th Street-NYU, and the Union Square hub a few blocks north.
The state issued the license on December 23, 2022, six days before the opening. Housing Works was among the first 36 CAURD licensees approved that November, and one of eight nonprofits in that group. On opening day the store became the place where New York's adult-use market actually began: lines formed on Broadway, local officials attended, and news crews filmed the first legal purchases. Wikipedia's entry on cannabis in New York still records that first sale as happening in a Housing Works store.
Where the money goes
Housing Works, Inc. was founded in 1990 to respond to the overlapping crises of HIV/AIDS and homelessness, and it has become one of the country's largest minority-controlled AIDS service organizations. New Yorkers may already know the name from its thrift shops and bookstore cafe; the dispensary extends the same idea of retail that funds services. The dispensary describes itself as New York's first licensed, 100 percent charity dispensary, saying every dollar goes to housing, health care, harm reduction and legal support for New Yorkers. That is the shop's defining feature, and it is the main reason some shoppers choose it over a closer store.
The shelf: small brands and collaborations
Time Out's listing describes a buying strategy that favors smaller New York businesses owned by BIPOC and women founders, naming brands such as Florist Farms, Back Home Cannabis Company, Ayrloom and Lobo. The store's site organizes the menu into flower, pre-rolls, vapes, edibles and infused drinks, concentrates, tinctures and accessories, and it has recently promoted a Lion Order drop with Rohan Marley, billed as that brand's first New York City stop, and a capsule collection with DJ Mia Moretti. Those collaborations are part of a broader retail strategy: the company runs a blog, posts events, and invites brands to apply through a partner page, all of which helps a small or first-time producer get shelf space in one of the city's most visible stores.
Staff guidance is part of the pitch. The store's location page promises honest guidance without upselling, which matters for first-time buyers. Unlike some downtown competitors, Housing Works does not lean on a paid membership tier or flashy promotions; the draw is the mission and the selection, and regulars who want deals tend to watch for brand drops and collaborations instead. The page also spells out the basics plainly: entry is 21 and over with a valid government-issued photo ID, and New York's daily limits of three ounces of flower or 24 grams of concentrate apply. For a nervous first visit, a store that states its rules up front and says it will not push you toward a bigger purchase is a reasonable place to start, and the Broadway room is large enough that it rarely feels cramped once you are inside. If that describes you, our list of the best NYC dispensaries for first-timers and our guide to dispensary etiquette, ID and payment are worth a skim before you go.
A second store in NoMad
In December 2024 the brand added a second location at 846 Sixth Avenue in NoMad, between Herald Square and Madison Square Park. amNY reported a 3,500-square-foot space with 20-foot ceilings, rainbow-toned interiors, self-service kiosks and a rotating retail program called The Stash, featuring quarterly curated picks from notable New Yorkers, plus QR-code displays for the Housing Works online shop. The company's retail vice president told amNY the expansion was about reducing stigma and reaching more communities through education, under the brand line "Uplift Each Other." The state registry lists that store under a separate CAURD licensee, L.O.R.D.S. LLC, operating as Housing Works Cannabis Co., with a December 16, 2024 opening date; the brand says a portion of NoMad's proceeds supports Housing Works.
Hours, delivery and payment
The Broadway store's page lists hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday; older listings show shorter evenings, so check before a late trip. The phone number is (646) 669-7238.
Same-day delivery runs seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. to Manhattan, Brooklyn and parts of Queens, with a $60 minimum and no delivery fee, according to the store, and orders can be tracked in real time. In person, it accepts cash, debit and Dutchie Pay, and there is an ATM on site. If you are planning around a commute, note that the delivery window ends at 7 p.m., well before the store closes, so evening orders are better placed as in-store pickups.
How it compares a few blocks away
Lower Broadway has become one of the densest cannabis corridors in the city, and Housing Works' nearest neighbors are themselves early CAURD stores.
- The Travel Agency, Union Square (835 Broadway), about five blocks north, opened in February 2023 and funnels over half of its profit to The Doe Fund. It keeps much later hours, until 11 p.m. or midnight.
- Smacked Village (144 Bleecker Street), a short walk west, was opened in 2023 by the Conner family and has a downstairs event space.
- Gotham (3 East 3rd Street) leans hard into design and lifestyle goods.
If the charity model is what draws you, Housing Works is the clearest version of it; if late hours matter more, The Travel Agency is the practical alternative. Our best dispensaries in Manhattan roundup weighs these stores against the rest of the borough, and every licensed Manhattan counter is mapped in our directory of NYC dispensaries.
Choosing Housing Works
Housing Works fits shoppers who want their spending to support a social-service mission, first-timers who want low-pressure guidance, and anyone curious to see where New York's legal market began. Its earlier closing time on Sundays and the $60 delivery minimum are the main practical limits. Confirm hours and menu details with the store before visiting.