Fortuna City Council Considers Redevelopment Support Letter for State Bill

FORTUNA – During the Fortuna City Council meeting Monday, members will consider authorizing a support letter for a state bill that would create a local entity to provide redevelopment options, and continuing a community input process to identify local funds.

The Community Revitalization Investment Authorities – the group created by Salinas Assemblyman Luis Alejo’s AB 2280 – would be a tool for communities like Fortuna to help improve the city’s conditions by increasing “employment opportunities, including reducing high crime rates, repairing deteriorated and inadequate infrastructure, and developing affordable housing,” the staff report said. The new redevelopment authorities’ responsibilities would be similar to past ones but there will be more rigorous accountability criteria and the amount set aside for traditional affordable housing would be increased from 20 to 25 percent.

“The City of Fortuna would be able to use such a tool to revitalize deteriorated infrastructure and attract businesses and jobs to our area,” the draft letter said. “This tool could serve as a critical first step toward addressing the challenges faced by California’s most disadvantaged and poorest areas.”

The council will also consider giving the go-ahead to continue to steps two and three of the Community-Engaged Planning Process – which allows residents to give input on different aspects of the community, including their satisfaction with the council, public safety and budget cuts, among other things. The city has joined with the Lew Edwards Group to “identify the best practices that other cities are utilizing to identify locally generated funding that cannot be taken by Sacramento” as the economy slowly recovers, according to the report.

During a citywide survey in step one, results indicated that constituents were happy with the council and there was support for general services sales tax measure that could be added to the November 2014 ballot, according to the report. If staff is directed to move forward, the city will collect more information on potential budget cuts.

More by Melissa Simon at times-standard.com.