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Greenbelt Alliance In the News

May 17, 2003

Loss of state redevelopment money stymies city projects

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VACAVILLE -- Downtown Vacaville is a billboard for what can be done with redevelopment funds, from its Creek Walk nestled next to Andrew's Park, to its new town square about to be built, to a pedestrian-friendly Davis Street upgrade in the works.

But if the governor has his way, future projects like these that not only provide economic opportunity and jobs, but improve the town's image and quality of life, could be in jeopardy thanks to a huge state budget crisis, according to local officials.

Gov. Davis' May revision of the state budget threatens to take $250 million in redevelopment money away from cities. In Vacaville, that translates to about $1.8 million in just the first year, said Charlie Learned, Vacaville's director of housing and redevelopment.

That number hit home to about 30 city officials, local residents, city planners and members of the Greenbelt Alliance who gathered Saturday at the McBride Senior Center in Vacaville to take a walking tour of downtown's redevelopment projects.

Assemblywoman Lois Wolk, D-Davis, took the tour and said she was impressed by what Vacaville had accomplished so far. Although Wolk said she will fight to keep redevelopment funding as the governor's budget continues to be revised, she cautioned there were no good solutions to a budget crisis that represents a shortfall of $1,000 for every man, woman and child in California.

Luckily for Vacaville, it is ahead of the game, with many of its commercial downtown improvements such as the town square, which includes a new public library and two new commercial buildings, already funded.

Now the city's redevelopment agency is concentrating on adding an affordable housing element to downtown, with several sites earmarked for high density housing. One of those projects includes 4 acres between McClellan and Depot streets where the old Vasquez Deli sits. The city has been trying to purchase the old deli building, which they see as a key piece of property if they are to develop the entire site into a mix of commercial and residential use.

Another site that has the potential for residential and commercial mixed use, as well as some live-to-work spaces, includes the area between East Main and Mason streets, near the homeless shelter. The city has already purchased eight lots in this area, and is about to put out a request for proposals from developers interested in such a project, Learned said. The goal is to start construction either this fall or next spring.

But both these projects could either be substantially delayed or not happen at all without redevelopment money, Learned said. Other cities such as Fairfield, which has just begun to use redevelopment funds to improve its downtown, could be hurt even more.

According to Sean Quinn, Fairfield's planning and economic development director, about $14 million in redevelopment money over the next several years is at stake if the governor's budget goes through as is.

"Basically, we would have no redevelopment," Quinn said. "We would exist solely to pay off debt."
But it may be Suisun City, which has depended on redevelopment money to drastically transform its crime-infested, dilapidated downtown, that stands to lose the most. At stake are future projects including Two Harbor Center, a high end commercial and office facility similar to One Harbor Center; a new hotel that has been planned for the area for several years, and several affordable housing projects.

According to Randy Starbuck, the city's economic development director who also serves as head of its redevelopment agency, losing redevelopment funds would "destroy the only viable economic development tool we have."

Warren Lutz contributed to this story. Marla Pugh can be reached at mpugh@dailyrepublic.net.

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