REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY NEEDS WORK SOME REFORMS COMPLETED, BUT FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES REQUIRED.Byline: KERRY CAVANAUGH Staff Writer The agency charged with revitalizing re·vi·tal·ize tr.v. re·vi·tal·ized, re·vi·tal·iz·ing, re·vi·tal·iz·es To impart new life or vigor to: plans to revitalize inner-city neighborhoods; tried to revitalize a flagging economy. Los Angeles' blighted blight n. 1. a. Any of numerous plant diseases resulting in sudden conspicuous wilting and dying of affected parts, especially young, growing tissues. b. neighborhoods has fixed some of its financial problems but hasn't acted quickly enough on reforms that could save redevelopment money, an audit released Thursday says. City Controller Laura Chick said the Community Redevelopment Agency still needs to make fundamental changes in the way it does business. ``The issues are a remaining symbol of the good ol' boy days of how the CRA See Community Reinvestment Act. used to operate,'' Chick said during a press conference in her City Hall office. ``Looking the other way and forgiving loans when there is ability to pay, we don't have to do giveaways or look the other way to attract businesses to our redevelopment areas. ``It should be competitive. People should be clamoring clam·or n. 1. A loud outcry; a hubbub. 2. A vehement expression of discontent or protest: a clamor in the press for pollution control. 3. A loud sustained noise. to come to the table.'' But Chick also praised the CRA for enacting 57 of 92 recommendations she made in a scathing audit released in 2004 that detailed sloppy slop·py adj. slop·pi·er, slop·pi·est 1. Marked by a lack of neatness or order; untidy: a sloppy room. 2. management and lax LAX - LAnguage eXample. A toy language used to illustrate compiler design. ["Compiler Construction", W.M. Waite et al, Springer 1984]. oversight of loans. CRA Chief Financial Officer Brence Culp said the agency was reorganized re·or·gan·ize v. re·or·gan·ized, re·or·gan·iz·ing, re·or·gan·iz·es v.tr. To organize again or anew. v.intr. To undergo or effect changes in organization. after Chick's earlier audit and strengthened its oversight of its loans and affordable-housing projects. ``A year from now we're going to see the intent of these audits will have been fully realized. We're almost there now,'' said Culp, who recently joined the department, along with new General Manager Cecilia Estolano. Chick's audit also found that the CRA was: Giving loans to develop market-rate projects but not requiring developers to share the profits if the project is sold. The CRA could generate more money for redevelopment by using profit-sharing agreements. Still giving the majority of CRA loans to a small number of developers. The CRA needs to attract a larger pool of viable developers. Not checking all affordable-housing projects funded by the CRA to ensure they're maintained as affordable. That finding comes even as Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. voters are being asked to consider a measure on the November ballot that would raise their property taxes to pay for a $1 billion bond to build more affordable housing. ``Is there room for improvement? Absolutely,'' Chick said. ``We continue to look for improvements in how the city uses its resources and how to make sure that we are in both cost-effective ways producing and maintaining affordable housing.'' Culp said a new housing director has committed to reviewing all 1,400 units built under the CRA's affordable housing program. kerry.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com (213) 978-0390 |
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