The Long Beach RDA today voted to borrow funding – that had been set aside – and cut future projects in order to make a mandated $30 million payment to the state of California, according to a Press-Telegram article today by reporter Karen Robes Meeks. How will today’s decision affect local services and projects that had been planned in Long Beach? Not positively. Say goodbye to funding that had been designated for several affordable housing projects, as well as improvements to the American Hotel and extra parking in Bixby Knolls.
Click here to read Robes Meeks’ article. From the story:
Last month, California lawmakers approved a plan requiring redevelopment agencies to shell out $1.7 billion to help close the state’s budget gap. Agencies also may be expected to pay $350 million toward the 2011 state budget.
The blow to Long Beach is $36 million: $30 million in 2010 and $6 million in 2011.
The District Weekly‘s Dave Wielenga gives an insider perspective straight from this morning’s RDA meeting and vote, calling for greater transparency and more time for community opinion to be heard, in this article. He gets right to the point:
Brushing aside pleas from housing advocates for a delay that would allow public input and transparency, the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency voted unanimously this morning to use the city’s entire $20 million affordable-housing fund to pay the bulk of the $30 million being taken by the state, then pay it back over the next five years.
“Thanks for coming out today,” commissioner John Cross told a smattering of activists as well as residents who are struggling to find housing despite working one or even two jobs. “But I’m going to support the proposal.”
The RDA cuts are going to hurt, no doubt, many who were depending on upcoming affordable housing projects that now seem to be delayed indefinitely, and for who knows how long. There are plenty of Long Beach agencies that work tirelessly to provide affordable housing opportunities to hard-working folks in need. The RDA is arguing that they had no choice but to raid the funds, just as the state has decided to raid theirs.
Doesn’t it sound similar to the education issue Long Beach has been dealing with for the better part of a month?
With the CSU system facing massive budget cuts and preparing to cut enrollment throughout the state, they instituted a 20% tuition increase that was passed down to students. Shouts of protest were heard far and wide, but the CSU ultimately decided that it had no choice given the current climate. Budgets will suffer and people will be hurt, just as in the RDA situation.
More on this to come…