CALL TO ACTION for AB 1585 and AB X1 26 LEGISLATIVE CLEAN UPS
Spring Break is half over! The State Legislature is on spring recess returning next Monday, April 9. Even if you miss this opportunity to reach out to your state legislators, letters, testimonials, and other forms of contact urging their support of AB x1 26 clean up legislation are still needed.
As you know, AB 1585 (Pérez), a redevelopment cleanup bill that contains numerous policy and technical cleanups to AB x126, passed the Assembly and is now in the Senate. The bill will likely be heard after the Legislature returns from its break.
CONTACT YOUR STATE SENATOR AND TELL YOUR STORY
AB 1585 needs your help to get through the Senate. Besides contacting your state senator, reach out to stakeholders and the media. The broader the base of support for AB 1585, the better chances it has of being signed into law.
Tell your community’s story. If your community will benefit from the loan repayment, asset retention, or bond debt service requirements of AB 1585, tell that story to the media. Let your local media know while affordable housing funds are important there are many other issues at stake as well.
Engage stakeholders. Engage your Chamber of Commerce, labor groups, business community, and any other organizations that would benefit from loan repayment, asset retention, or bond debt service provisions of AB 1585 — ask them to send a support letter and call their legislators.
In addition to these special advocacy efforts, engage in traditional efforts such as:
AB 1585 SUMMARY POSTED ON CRA WEBSITE
Much of the attention has been given to the affordable housing provisions of AB 1585, but the bill also has many other provisions that resolve implementation challenges and questions faced by local agencies, bond counsels, and others. CRA and the League of California Cities have worked with the bill’s author and legislative staff to ensure that many, but not all, concerns raised by CRA members and the CRA Technical Committee have been addressed. Some of the suggested changes from CRA and the League were rejected.
CRA has adapted a two-page summary on AB 1585 provided by the League of California Cities and has posted it on CRA’s website. This summary outlines other provisions of the bill which would ensure loan repayments to cities, preserve asset values, prevent “fire sales,” ensure bond payments, and clarify the role and functions of successor agencies.