Politics & Government

City Assumes Responsibilities of Redevelopment Agency

With the state's likely elimination of redevelopment agencies on February 1, cities have had to assume the tasks of redevelopment agencies.

On February 1, the redevelopment agency money used for affordable housing, to prevent blight and to coordinate public family events . A survey showed that 70 percent of Redwood City residents had attended one of the many events in Courthouse Square, according to Parks & Rec Director Chris Beth.

But rather than abandon these commitments, the city voted Monday night to become the successor agency to the redevelopment agency and assume its responsibilities. Six other cities in San Mateo County similarly have opted or are likely to become the successor agency to their redevelopment agencies.

“We want to maintain our role rather than have outside agencies deal with that,” said Community Development Director Bill Ekern. If the city voted not to become the successor agency, the county would have shouldered the responsibility.

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However, lawmakers introduced a bipartisan measure on Jan. 13 that may delay the abolishment date until April 15, according to city attorney Pamela Thompson.

The city will inherit the $10 million to fulfill its current financial obligations and several projects that it must monitor, Ekern said. There is also a possible reimbursement of $5.7 million that the housing agency could collect over time.

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The city will also inherit properties that the redevelopment agency owned, on which it would be responsible to develop. Because there are no funds left, the city would have to look for partners to build on the land.

 

Funding Affordable Housing

Governor Jerry Brown eliminated redevelopment agencies from the state's budget to save $1.7 billion annually. However the state still expects cities to honor their commitment to providing affordable housing.

Cities can let developers build more units than the city’s plan allows in exchange for pricing some units at below market rate.

“That is a tremendous flexibility for a community to have,” Councilmember Rosanne Foust said.

Because Redwood City has worked with developers to achieve approximately 15 percent affordable units on proposed projects, they want to see other cities do the same. Redwood has 25 percent of all the affordable housing in the county.

Of 935 “workforce housing” units, as Housing and Human Concerns Committee Chair Marc Manuel termed it, 345 of those units were funded by redevelopment dollars.

“It’s time to encourage the 19 other cities and unincorporated San Mateo County to step up to the plate,” Foust added. She encouraged her council colleagues who are serving on regional boards to pressure other cities to provide more affordable housing.

“We can all have a certain quality of life,” she said. “Residents can be here no matter how much they make.”

Councilmember Jeff Ira also viewed the regional approach favorably, rather than cities only focusing on rigidly providing housing within city boundaries.

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