Fiscal Responsibility

By Gary Abrams

Culver City Faced Default

Loss of CRA Funding

Lack of Transparency

Inadequate Funding

Most of the financial disputes with the state have been resolved, one of them being their previous claim they wanted $22.5 million that they reduced to $2.5million.

NOT NECESSARILY A VICTORY.

The now defunct CRA support to the City's General Fund $7.5 million was reimbursed to General Fund annually.

CRA provided reimbursement to the General Fund provided reimbursement to the General Fund for direct staff and overhead (approximately twenty-three full-time positions between Agency and Housing operation) as well as for indirect staff and programs that provided support to the Agency goals.

STATE'S ACCUSATIONS Against the Redevelopment Agency December 23, 2010 State Senate agency in Sacramento issued a statewide report against the Redevelopment Agency of Culver City for allegedly using earmarked housing funds for presumably related but supposedly not legally acceptable/specified reasons.

"Where Does the Affordable Housing Money Go?"

LACK of CLARITY is the most transparent identifying mark. for affordable housing.

Report found dozens have been getting away with putting a disconcerting amount of that money into "planning and administration," not building actual affordable housing.

The agency in Culver City salted away $22 million in its low- and moderate-income fund over 13 years while producing just four units of housing.

Even worse, "there was essentially no way to be sure that money was being spent appropriately, as oversight mechanisms "are few and flawed."

PLANNING: Culver City continues to fund capital projects, but the current level of funding falls well short of the actual amount needed to sufficiently address the City's ongoing maintenance needs and the amount of deferred maintenance from prior years.

This low level of funding is unsustainable and will only increase cost to address deferred maintenance down the road.

Going forward the City will need to significantly increase the amount provide for Capital Projects or face mounting cost in the future.

City plans 30 projects at $435 Million Jan, 20, 2011 thefrontpageonline Formal public unveiling, Culver City's Redevelopment Agency list. Provided by City Manager John Nachbar.

Cost (Listed in millions)
1. Seismic Rehabilitation...$2

2. Public Works Street Improvement (citywide)...$20

3. Redevelopment Agency Cardiff Parking Structure Purchase...$14

4. Town Hall Plaza Expansion...$3.30

5. Adams Boulevard Improvement...$3.50

6. Washington/National Cooperation Agreement...$2

7. General Plan and Redevelopment Studies...$3

8. Smiley Blackwelder Street and Infrastructure Improvements...$5

9. Ongoing Maintenance of Agency Assets...$67.30

10. Affordable Housing Projects (Globe, Irving , Pleasantview, Bridge)...$27.60

11. West Washington Parking at Centinela Boulevard...$6.80

12. West Downtown Park at Hughes (Public, Retail, Jazz Bakery, Brotman, Jewish Home for the Aging)...$13

13. Downtown Parking at Town Plaza ...$2

14. Washington/National Infrastructure...$4

15. Hayden Tract Parking...$14.80

16. AIP Citywide (Washington/Centinela)...$15

17. Other Parking Development (Surface parking lots associated with AIP)...$10

18. Washington/National Property Acquisition and Associated Relocation...$20

19. Washington/National LRT/TRD Parking (Includes easement)...$60.10

20. Improvements to Veterans Memorial Complex, The Plunge, Associated and Adjacent Facilities...$60

Total (Cooperation Agreement)...$353.40

21. New Public Safety Headquarters Facility...$48

22. Park Improvements...$0.50

23. New Public Works Lay Down Facility...$5.40

24. Overland Avenue Bridge Replacement...$2

25. East Washington Medians...$1.56

26. Improvements to Public Facilities...$2.60

27. Street Light Replacement...$8.74

28. Washington Boulevard Re-pavement ...$7.80

29. Expansion of Transfer Plant...$3.12

30. New Fire Training Yard...$2.70

Total (Implementing Agreement)...$82.42

Grand Total...$435.82