State’s Elimination of Redevelopment Diminishes

Opportunities for Continued Duarte Revitalization

DUARTE, CA, January 25, 2012 – In the classic film, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” a man gets a glimpse of what his beloved town might have been like if he had never been born. In the same way, Duarte can look back on the past three-plus decades and count the ways that the city has transformed, grown and prospered thanks to redevelopment.

With the state’s decision to abolish redevelopment upheld by the California State Supreme Court and a set Feb. 1 deadline for agencies to shut down operations and begin liquidating assets, Duarte, along with the approximately 400 other redevelopment agencies throughout the state are getting a startling glimpse of what the future may hold for their communities. The financial impact and loss of the redevelopment tool will put a chokehold on many already strained city budgets.

“While we fought hard to preserve Redevelopment, unraveling an over 50-year program in less than 30 days is simply unrealistic and will create more harm than necessary, said Duarte Mayor John Fasana. “The effects on a community like ours will be long lasting especially in terms of allowing us to create jobs and revitalize blighted neighborhoods or shopping centers. ”Two local State Senators Ed Hernandez and Alex Padilla are supporting a bill that would extend the deadline to mid-April to give agencies more time to wind down and give legislators and the governor time to craft a better solution that does not needlessly place approved projects at risk.  “With many questions still unanswered regarding the dismantling of redevelopment and its impact on Duarte, it is hard to say what the exact reduction of services will be, but we do know there is a possibility that they will be significant,” said Fasana.

Much of what Duarte is today is the result of redevelopment that began in the late 1970’s.  Then, the recently opened 210 freeway cut a swath through Duarte and diverted traffic off Duarte’s economic corridor, Huntington Drive.  Redevelopment provided Duarte the necessary resources to re-orient its main, economic corridor to the freeway, encouraging commuters to stop and shop rather than simply drive by.  Specifically, more than 175 blighted areas were cleared. The development of the 40-acre Lewis Industrial Park in 1977-78 led the way for new industrial and retail centers including Duarte’s 210 Freeway Auto Row, and centers anchored by Target, Wal-Mart, Ralph’s, LaZ-Boy, and Best Buy that brought approximately 5,000 new jobs to the community and increased property tax revenues to the City.  Many of those endeavors would never have come to Duarte without redevelopment incentives. The property tax increment derived from those projects has allowed the City to provide unique services and facilities including the creation of a dozen parks and sports fields, the Duarte bike and equestrian trail, Rancho Duarte Golf Course, which the City built in the 1980’s, more than 130 acres of public green space that enhanced the livability of the community. More than 2,000 new homes were built from the late 1970’s to mid-1980 as a result of redevelopment. More recent projects include Duarte Gardens and Huntington Courts on Huntington Dr. A total of 358 units of affordable housing were built utilizing redevelopment funds. The Civic Center complex which includes City Hall, the school district office, senior center, and fitness center, and Duarte Performing Arts Center were all redevelopment projects.

Plans for future redevelopment projects such as the Transit Oriented Development proposed adjacent to Duarte’s future Gold Line station; and redevelopment of the Mike’s Food, Big Lots shopping centers and surrounding properties will now require alternative funding sources.  To prepare for the dismantling of the Duarte Redevelopment Agency, the Duarte City Council, at its January 10 meeting, voted 5-0 to become the successor agency to the RDA, with the responsibility of winding up its affairs, preparing various payment schedules and taking on the other administrative tasks required.

#