CLEARLAKE — Clearlake Mayor Joey Luiz appointed himself Thursday to serve on the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) Oversight Committee, which will be the decision-making body for the RDA Successor Agency. Interim City Administrator Joan Phillipe was also appointed to the committee as an employee of the former RDA.
The oversight committee will be comprised of seven political appointees from affected local taxing entities and the community. One member apiece is to be appointed by the following: county board of supervisors, mayor representing the city that created the RDA, the largest special district with territory in the territorial jurisdiction of the RDA that is eligible to receive property tax revenues, county superintendent of schools, chancellor of the California Community Colleges, member of the public appointed by the county board of supervisors and one member representing the employees of the former RDA to be appointed by the mayor.
Lake County Fire Protection District Chief Willie Sapeta will serve the committee as representative of the largest special district within the redevelopment area. District 2 Supervisor Jeff Smith has also been appointed to the committee.
In other news related to the dissolution of the RDA, the council chose not to assume the duties of the RDA”s housing obligations. Following an informational report by City Attorney Mala Subramanian, and inline with staff”s recommendation, the council moved to release the city from obligations of the housing authority.
Subramanian”s report indicated that there would be a number of obligations connected with assuming the housing authority responsibilities that would create a financial burden on the city. She said the new law is ambiguous about the extent of the hosing obligations to be assumed. Affordable housing responsibilities could include, among others, the provision of production, inclusionary (sic) or replacement affordable housing units, development of affordable housing units in accordance with community income demographic restrictions, consultation with any project area committee formed by the dissolved RDA, which may include providing funding for the operation of any such project area committee, unless such costs were previously allocated under the Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule (ROP); and any required affordable housing monitoring and reporting.
Additionally, initiation of development on any property that was purchased with Low to Moderate Income Housing funds would be required within five years of the original purchase of the property.
If the city had chosen to take on the responsibilities, all associated costs would have been the sole responsibility of the city”s General Fund. “I don”t see where this will be of benefit to the city,” Councilwoman Judy Thein said. “I see it as a burden.”
Phillipe said that, with the council”s action, the responsibility now passes to the county”s housing authority. If the county chooses not to take on the responsibility, the task will fall on the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development. Phillipe said she intends to meet with county representatives to discuss the issue by Tuesday.
