Big Vote on CRA Project Funds Delayed, Audit On Its Way

Today, the City Council was supposed to vote on whether to protect $1 billion worth of Community Redevelopment Agency projects--proposed developments ranging from Bringing Back Broadway to affordable housing in Sherman Village (pictured)-- but the Council meeting was canceled because not enough Council members showed up. They were too busy ordering breakfast at the omelet station, or stuck in important meetings, perhaps. (strong>UPDATE: The Los Angeles Times has the story on why the Councilmembers were late. Traffic and elevators.) The CRA vote may be taken up tomorrow, or it may be delayed to another day, according to City Councilman Paul Krekorian. Meanwhile, yesterday State Controller John Chiang announced his auditors were beginning reviews of 18 redevelopment agencies across the state. The CRA of Los Angeles was one of those selected; the whole list is after the jump. But how were the 18 agencies chosen? Hallye Jordan, spokesperson for the Controller, tells Curbed that the agencies were selected based on geography, size and diversity. "This is four percent of all the RDAs, a smattering," she said. It was pointed out to Jordan that some redevelopment agencies have racked up a lot of bad press over misdeeds---are any of those agencies on this list? "We're not trying to look at redevelopment agencies whose conduct has already been covered by the media," she said. "This is just a broad review." She said the audit should be done by early March.

From the press release:

"The 18 RDAs selected for the reviews represent urban, suburban and rural communities. They are geographically diverse and represent a mix of varying populations. The reviews will look at, among other things, how the RDAs define a “blighted” area, whether they are appropriately paying for low- and moderate-income housing as required by law, whether they are accurately “passing through” payments to schools within their community, and how much RDA officials, board members and employees are being compensated for their services."

Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Jose (Santa Clara County)

· Redevelopment Agency for the County of Riverside

· Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (Los Angeles County)

· Richmond Redevelopment Agency (Contra Costa County)

· Redevelopment Agency of the County of Sacramento

· Redevelopment Agency of the City of Pittsburg (Contra Costa County)

· Redevelopment Agency of the City of Fremont (Alameda County)

· Pasadena Community Development Commission (Los Angeles County)

· Redevelopment Agency of the City of Fresno (Fresno County)

· City of Palm Desert Redevelopment Agency (Riverside County)

· Placentia Redevelopment Agency (Orange County)

· Parlier Redevelopment Agency (Fresno County)

· Hercules Redevelopment Agency (Contra Costa County)

· Anderson Redevelopment Agency (Shasta County)

· Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Citrus Heights (Sacramento County)

· Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Calexico (Imperial County)

· Community Development Agency of the City of Coronado (San Diego County)

· City of Desert Hot Springs Redevelopment Agency (Riverside County)