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| Image: "Park Avenue Properties". The city ftp site has a 160Meg pdf file related to "Park Avenue Properties". The massive file is a phase 1 environmental assessment performed for the Housing and Neighborhood Services department at the city. I assume this is a precursor to purchase or development of this parcel. The study, which is about 290 pages long, goes through a history of property uses in order to identify environmental issues that may exist. First, I don't think the City of Chico should be in the housing business. In a past blog I did a quick calculation that divided the total amount of money spent on low income housing by the number of people who have received housing. While it was a simple back of the napkin calculation, it seemed to indicate that purchasing homes for ~$300,000 would have been as efficient. Setting aside that opinion, it needs to be recognized that 20% of Chico's RDA funds go to housing needs (by state law). So Chico will be in the business of providing housing to some degree, and this property meets any definition of "blight". This site is a perfect example of where a redevelopment agency could, and should, spend money. That money could be spent as a loan to a private developer (I believe the Diamond Hotel is an example of that). Or it could be part of a city funded project. As opposed to things like public art and the downtown plaza park refurbishment, this piece of property is more in line with the original purpose of the RDAs statewide. I recently re-read a Chamber of Commerce opinion on the city's budget problems. They identified an annual hit of $4.8 million to the General Fund for redevelopment bond interest payments. One thing I noted in this environmental assessment was how meticulous it is. It reaches the point of ridiculousness. For example, it mentions as a concern the fact that the knife sharpener at this location spilled some oil on the floor. It describes that he cleans it up with wood shavings. It expresses concern over where those wood shavings are deposited. I'm guessing this assessment cost in the tens of thousands of dollars. I'm pretty sure knife oil doesn't rise to the "super fund" level. Well, who knows, in Chico maybe it does. RDA Summary: For those of you not familiar with the RDA (redevelopment agency) here's the gist of how it works. The city council is the board of directors of the RDA, and city staff are the officers. It is separate from the city. A portion of local property taxes are diverted from the state, county, and local tax districts (recreation/schools), to fund redevelopment bonds. Unlike other bonds the public does not vote on the bond's creation, or their use. Money spent by the RDA must be paid back, with interest. This causes the cost of RDA projects to double over the time they are "paid for". The interest and principal are paid out of our General Fund. It's like a really big credit card. The original purpose of the RDA was to allow government to address massive blight like public housing projects in inner cities. In Chico, and likely most cities, it has become a source of cash that pays for many large capital projects. This reliance on the RDA has caused an increased drag on the city budget, and now requires about 10% of General Fund income. |
Park Place Closer To Baltic Avenue in Chico
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Lon
About Me: Fasten your seatbelts for an exhilarating trip through Chico's public policy; I guarantee it's marginally better than public access TV.
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I painted a little mural for the old Suds and Suds Laundromat that was there back in the early eighties. It was a cartoon of a cowboy in his under ware drinking beer out of a pitcher while he was slouching in a rolling laundry basket waiting for his clothes. He still had his boots and hat on though.
Agreed, the City of Chico should not be in the housing business.
The spilled knife oil is a perfect example of just how ridiculous government can be. It is an utterly trivial matter that some bean counter gets paid to document!
This is what the citizens of Chico expect from their government?
Sometimes I just want to scream.
oh my god, they're going after the little business owners along Park, trying to pressure them out. You realize, none of that real estate has sold in years, the property taxes along that corridor are probably stuck somewhere in the 70's or 80's. It's a war on the poor. I know, cause my friend The Reverend Billy just went through the same thing in NYC.
I'm with David - let's do it David, Primal Scream. Pick a time. I'll walk out in my back yard, you'll walk out in your back yard, and we'll just DO IT!
Arlo Guthrie says, when one guy does it, he's just crazy. Two guys, well, they're just queers (don't you dare snip me when I am quoting Arlo Guthrie!). But THREE guys, now, that's A MOVEMENT!
At our age, though, you got to be careful what kind of movement you're talking about...
Juanita,
For clarification, I don't know exactly why the Housing and Neighborhood department asked that this study be done. I assume it is a precursor to some project or purchase of the property. The study didn't identify why it was being done.
As far as I can tell the retail buildings are vacant except for the knife sharpening business. I think they've been vacant for some time. There also seem to be a couple of residences associated with the property studied.
Because of the area studied I think this is part of a planning process to purchase multiple properties for a future low income housing area. That is total conjecture though.
Regarding property taxes you're correct, and that dovetails with the RDA, I think. If the city were to purchase the property with RDA money and maintain public ownership the tax increment income would be lost. The city does not pay property taxes. So 1970's era taxes would go away as well as any reassessment caused by a new development. However, if the RDA money was loaned to private developers the tax increment income (change in property taxes) would flow into the RDA.
To me this is the least of two evils. If the RDA is going to spend money developing property it is better that the property remain in private hands to continue property tax payments, which eventually pay off the RDA debt.
Using RDA funds to purchase property is the worst economic decision that can be made.
Lon
Tom here, the owner/operator of Caution Sharp. I've relocated to 4331 Hedstrom Way. Behind Jeff's Trucks just after Hwy 99 & Esplanade meet, north of town.
Park Village Hardware at, 17st. & Park Ave., is a midtown location to drop-off & pick-up your items to be sharpened. Indicate on the work order your requested pick-up date or call TOM at 530-895-1381.
Greg, I still have the "swill'n cowboy" picture you created.. Looks like I'll have to auction it off to cover litigation expenses from when I (supposedly) spilled that damn oil.
The "spilled oil" c#*p, too me, just sounds like my last two x-girlfriends & CPD Sarg. John Carrillo. Puny people that just gota get ya on something.