Redevelopment: City Council to Vote on ‘Successor Entity’

Since the g that allowed the state access to $1.7 billion of redevelopment agency funds, the Glendora City Council will determine Tuesday how to carry out an immediate end to its redevelopment agency.

On Dec. 29, 2011, the Supreme Court ruled that terminating all California Redevelopment Agencies was constitutional, effectively accelerating the end of Glendora’s Redevelopment Agency, which was slated to sunset by 2019.

The city has deemed the Supreme court ruling, “the most detrimental of all possible alternatives.”

According to city staff reports, the City Council will vote during its Tuesday meeting on designating the city as the “successor entity” upon dissolution of the agency.

As the “successor entity,” the city will  “retain more leverage” in the process of dismantling its redevelopment agency.

According to city staff reports, “this will likely better benefit the community.”

The Supreme Court ruling in California Redevelopment Association v. Matosantos has perplexed city officials, who say there are still many questions left unanswered, including what will become of legal debts to the city, liquidating assets and administrative costs.

The city council will also vote on putting agency housing funds in the control of the City’s Housing Authority.

The League of California Cities and the California Redevelopment Association have contacted legislators on creating a possible amendment or successor legislation in efforts to keep some aspect of redevelopment alive.

“I also believe the state will have some buyer’s remorse and they will realize that this may not be what they want,” City Manager Chris Jeffers said last week.. “…in theory, if the Legislature cannot do redevelopment agencies, they can create a ‘son of redevelopment agency,’ a new entity that could keep us going.”

According to the city, Auto Centre, Walmart, Marketplace and Diamond Ridge shopping areas were all created through redevelopment funds. About 70 percent of all the city's nearly $6.8 million sales tax will be generated by businesses located within this area.

The City Council will meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the City Council chambers. For more information, visit the Glendora city website.