Second of two parts
Re “Ending Redevelopment Could Take Years, Says Nachbar”
On the grim one-week anniversary of the High Court ruling outlawing Redevelopment Agencies, City Manager John Nachbar says The End is coming, technically, Feb. 1, but it likely will take years more to kill the Agencies and bring them back to life.
The dozen or more City Hall workers whose livelihoods are caroming between the trees this month take a patch of consolation at that observation.
As communities and redevelopment specialists — but not legislators — have been saying this week, killing off the Agencies is going to be a meandering process.
“We have existing obligations that must be taken care of,” Mr. Nachbar said, “either because of contractual obligations or statutory obligations. It may take some period of time. It will take resources and staff.
“Trying to predict how this will unfold, and on what timetable, has to be figured out. I just know it is going to take time to get there.”
What about existing obligations, such as the long-planned choice spot in front of The Culver Hotel, known floridly as Parcel B. Is it likely Sacramento — whatever that means — will say, “Step aside. We are taking over”?
“I don’t have control over the actions of others with the state or the county,” Mr. Nachbar said.
Trouble ahead?
Perhaps.
“There may be an argument,” the City Manager suggested. “Depends on how much of an obligation we think we have in place. It is possible we will have differences of opinions about some of these things.
“We won’t know until we go through the process.
“There are going to be legal questions along the way.”
What about Sol Blumenfeld, who commands the Community Development Dept.?
What Is the Message?
What does the City Manager say to him?
“We obviously have to confront the decision that has been made,” Mr. Nachbar said. “At the same time, we are trying to think through how we go about the implementation process.
“I think there will be some role Sol and others will play for some period of time. This will take some time.
“There also is a question of whether there are other models for redevelopment, other than the way we have done it for the last 60 years?
“We could look at new models. They may not have the tools redevelopment law has given us for 60 years. Nevertheless, we need to think about what can we do with what will be available.
“It is likely we will have ongoing obligations that will lay claim to some of the increment going forward.
“It just will take time to sort out where we are going to be, two, three, four years from now. We will know more as we go along.
“It is just so early, and we have a lot to learn.”
