When the Emeryville Redevelopment Agency was dissolved by the State in February, there were many projects that were in various stages of beginning, development and completion. The process to end the flow of tax increment money to these projects is messy and confusing. Our Oversight Board consists of 7 members (including me) from the community representing tax entities who are in positions to benefit from tax increment money again flowing to them instead of redevelopment. We have been grappling with the list of "recognized obligations" that are allowable under the dissolution law. After sending our list of what we considered allowable expenses to the State, we received back a letter that challenged many of the larger projects that are underway. We meet again on May 29 at 5:30pm at City Hall, to consider these projects in more detail, sifting through the contracts and paperwork to determine whether they pass the test of "obligation" to a third party.
For now, the uncertainty is high. The Emeryville Center of Community Life (ECCL), a joint project with the School District, and the South Bayfront Bike and Pedestrian Bridge, along with parcels purchased for affordable housing have all been questioned by the State Department of Finance. Meanwhile, legislation to clarify and help with the termination of redevelopment are wending their way through Sacramento, but there is no fix yet put up for a vote by the Senate or Assembly. It is tangled up in the state budget problems/process.
All this is to say, that I will keep you posted, but you are also welcome to attend or watch the Oversight Board meetings. They are on the second and fourth Tuesdays at City Hall at 5:30pm (except in May the meeting will be on the fifth Tuesday).
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