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This seminar is designed to provide the basics of redevelopment in a down-to-earth and understandable format. It will greatly benefit staff and elected officials who are new to the field or have little background in redevelopment. It is also designed for redevelopment practitioners who need a refresher on the legal principles of redevelopment, the details of the plan adoption and amendment process, and the implementation of redevelopment projects.

Conference Courses:

DAY 1

What is Redevelopment?

• What redevelopment is and what it does
• Alphabet soup – glossary of terms and acronyms used in redevelopment
• Types of projects
• Results of redevelopment: the outcomes and benefits
• History of redevelopment in California
• Who gets involved in redevelopment
• CRA’s role and services

The Powers of Redevelopment: What is a redevelopment agency, what can it do and not do, and how
does it work?

• The origin of redevelopment agencies
• The rules under which agencies operate
• The unique powers of redevelopment agencies
• How agencies are formed and how long an agency can exist
• Agency staff needed and who provides them
• Basic definitions: project area, blight, tax increment, redevelopment plan, eminent domain
• Buying and selling land
• Affordable housing requirements

Making Redevelopment Popular

Speaker: John Shirey, Executive Director, CRA

Plan Adoption, Amendment and Merger: How does an agency select a project area and develop a plan?

• How a redevelopment project area is chosen: Setting project area boundaries
• The plan adoption or amendment process: How long it takes and how much it costs
• The essential elements of every redevelopment plan
• How the general plan, zoning ordinance, and redevelopment plan work together
• Environmental requirements
• Coordinating with the community: Role and function of the Project Area Committee

Financing Redevelopment: How do you pay for a redevelopment project?

• Integral role of tax increment and how it works
• Nature of indebtedness
• Types of bonds
• Uses and restrictions on redevelopment funds
• How to analyze a project to determine cost/benefit
• The financing team and their roles

Networking Reception

DAY 2

Redevelopment Plan Implementation: The do’s and don’ts of implementing your redevelopment plan

• How do you implement the plan: Steps A - Z
• The use of staff and consultants in projects
• How redevelopment "deals" and planning approval processes can be coordinated
• How to work effectively with property owners and developers
• How to avoid common pitfalls in project implementation

How projects get done in the real world

These case studies will typically address both retail/commercial/industrial and affordable housing types of redevelopment projects. Their intent is to demonstrate how the processes and techniques of redevelopment have been applied to actual projects.

Review and Summary

This brief review will summarize the key elements of the seminar and resources available for further education in redevelopment through CRA’s professional development program.

Telling the Redevelopment Story Effectively

Now that you know what a redevelopment plan is, how do you get it adopted?

Building political and community support can facilitate redevelopment plan approvals and make redevelopment projects successful. Case studies will demonstrate how the workshop lessons work and how effective public information campaigns contribute to building support for plans and projects. You will learn:

• How to use resources within your city or county
• How to create a strategic communications plan
• How to develop an effective public relations campaign in support of redevelopment plan adoption
• Stakeholder support strategies and consensus building in redevelopment project implementation
• Public advocacy and outreach strategies and techniques
• Media relations and communications strategies that work