THIS SHADY CRA PROJECT HAS BEEN ON ZD'S RADAR SINCE THE RECENT L.A. CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS, WHERE THIS PROJECT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY SOME ANTI-HERB WESSON PEOPLE, WHO FEEL LIKE THEY ARE HELD HOSTAGE BY HIS OFFICE. Here is a project they feel is illegal and shady as hell. It IS a CRA project and Herb Wesson. Here's the intro: Today's agenda item at the council meeting. I'm sure you will hearing much, much more about this. Hopefully, not in FBI transcripts.
Questions on this CRA project by public comment speaker Arnold Sachs:
a) How much low income housing will be built on this site.
b) Is the park going to be on top of the building? Then you would have to have access to the building. (Do all community members have keys to the building to use the park?)
Also, who will pay for the maintenance of this park? Just cause all this money dropped out of the sky to build it, then you have to staff it and maintain it.
ZUMA DOGG'S BIG QUESTION: HOW MUCH MONEY WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM OTHER CRA PROJECT DISTRICTS TO USE FOR THIS PROJECT? (Will follow up with a post containing some DAMNING emails with info on how this whole project was, "fudged," to say the least.
Fiscal Impact Statement: The CRA reports that there is no fiscal impact to the City's General Fund as a result of this action. (That's what they all say!)
Community Impact Statement: None submitted. (No problemo! I'm sure it's all hunky-dory!)
(Housing, Community and Economic Development Committee waived consideration of the above matter) (Nothing to consider...Herb has to get this done!)
AND GUESS WHAT...when you add up all the multi-millions and millions of dollars on this project, at the end of the day, there's no need to watch this video, really; because it's only public comments, mostly from people sent there to "rah-rah" the project for the cameras and for the record.
FOR ALL OF THIS MONEY AND MAGNITUDE OF THIS "FOOTBALL STADIUM SIZED" CRA PROJECT...NOT ONLY WAS CONSIDERATION WAIVED AT COMMITTEE...THEY JUST OPENED THE ROLL AND TABULATED THE UNANIMOUS VOTE, WITHOUT ONE SECOND OF DISCUSSION BY COUNCIL! Herb did not even mention a word, explaining a thing about this project, like the community benefit.
Item for Which Public Hearing Has Not Been Held - Item 23
(10 Votes Required for Consideration)
ITEM NO. (23)
11-0945
CD 10
CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION, COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) and RESOLUTION relative to acquisition of either: 1) approximately 96,750 square feet of land comprising seven lots at 3670 Wilshire Boulevard for $21 million plus approximately $50,000 in closing costs or 2) the southern three lots of said land, comprising approximately 45,750 square feet, for $9,929,000 plus approximately $25,000 in closing costs from Shinyoung 3670, LLC in the Wilshire Center/Koreatown Recovery Redevelopment Project Area.
Recommendations for Council action:
1. FIND the recommended action under Option Two is categorically exempt from provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15304 (a) and (b) and 15311 of the CRA and State CEQA guidelines. Pursuant to State CEQA Section 15004(b) (2) (A) future use of, and/or disposition of the property under Option One, would be subject to environmental review pursuant to CEQA and CRA approval of the future project.
2. AUTHORIZE the Chief Executive Officer, or designee, to:
For Option One
a. Adopt the accompanying JOINT RESOLUTION as required by law to authorize the CRA to purchase property that will be publicly owned.
b. Amend the Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 Budget and Work Program to transfer $300,000 in Wilshire Center/Koreatown (WK) Tax Increment and $125,000 in WK Taxable Series B Bond Proceeds from budget line item Community Facilities and Programs and $2,669,600 in WK Tax Increment and $10,455,100 in WK Taxable Series B Bond Proceeds from budget line item Economic Development Opportunities to budget line item Public Improvements.
c. Negotiate and execute a purchase and sale agreement and related documents in order to acquire seven lots comprising approximately 96,750 square feet (SF) of vacant land at 3670 Wilshire Boulevard from Shinyoung 3670, LLC, for up to $21 million plus associated closing costs of up to $50,000, to be funded with Prop 84 funds ($4,000,000) and WK Tax Increment and Taxable Series B Bond Proceeds ($17,050,000).
d. Take any actions as reasonably necessary to implement the above recommendations, subject to the review and approval of the City Attorney.
e. Negotiate, execute, and take any action necessary to carry out an agreement with the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP), pursuant to which the CRA will convey to RAP, and RAP will accept from CRA, fee simple title to a portion of the CRA-owned site and all improvements thereon, at no cost to RAP, upon completion of park improvements, and RAP will agree to maintain the park thereafter.
f. Approve CRA's implementation of the Prop 84 Parks (now renamed Wilshire Center/Koreatown Central Park) project under the Cooperation Agreement for Payment of Costs Associated with Certain CRA Funded Capital Improvements, Public Improvements and Affordable Housing Projects, dated as of March 10, 2011 between the CRA and the City of Los Angeles.
For Option Two
a. Adopt the accompanying JOINT RESOLUTION as required by law to authorize the CRA to purchase property that will be publicly owned.
b. Amend the FY 2011 Budget and Work Program to transfer $2,098,600 in WK Tax Increment and $3,855,400 in WK Taxable Series B Bond Proceeds from budget line item Economic Development Opportunities to budget line item Public Improvements.
c. Negotiate and execute a purchase and sale agreement and related documents in order to acquire three lots comprising approximately 45,750 SF of vacant land at the northwest corner of Seventh Street and Hobart Boulevard from Shinyoung 3670, LLC, for $9,929,000 plus associated closing costs of up to $25,000, to be funded with Prop 84 funds ($4,000,000) and Taxable Series B Bond Proceeds ($5,954,000); provided that delivery of the executed purchase and sale agreement (assuming City Council approval of this Option Two) shall occur concurrently with, but no sooner than, Hankey Investment Company L.P.'s removal of the remaining contingencies and its deposit becoming nonrefundable.
d. Take any actions as reasonably necessary to implement the above recommendations, subject to the review and approval of the City Attorney.
e. Negotiate, execute, and take any action necessary to carry out an agreement with the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, pursuant to which the CRA will convey to RAP, and RAP will accept from CRA, fee simple title to the CRA-owned site and all improvements thereon, at no cost to RAP, upon completion of park improvements, and RAP will agree to maintain the park thereafter.
f. Approve CRA's implementation of the Prop 84 Parks (now renamed Wilshire Center/Koreatown Central Park) project under the Cooperation Agreement for Payment of Costs Associated with Certain CRA Funded Capital Improvements, Public Improvements and Affordable Housing Projects, dated as of March 10,2011 between the CRA and the City of Los Angeles.
THIS was ALL approved without a word of discussion by the decision making council? (Almost seems like they're trying to HIDE IT!)
http://Redevelopment.com
ALSO POSTED TODAY (6/8/11): City of L.A. Pays MICHAEL "MIKE" HUNT (& HIS ATTORNEY) $475,000 Out of L.A.'s GENERAL FUND, for L.A.'s Venice Errors (Zuma Dogg & 10 Others, ON DECK!)
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