BILL NUMBER: AB 2531	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Fuentes

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2010

   An act to amend Sections 33020, 33021, 33440, 33444.5, and 33444.6
of, to add Section 33131.5 to, and to add Article 10.5 (commencing
with Section 33427) to Chapter 4 of Part 1 of Division 24 of, the
Health and Safety Code, relating to redevelopment.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2531, as introduced, Fuentes. Redevelopment: economic
development.
   (1) The Community Redevelopment Law authorizes the establishment
of redevelopment agencies in communities in order to address the
effects of blight, as defined, in those communities and requires
those agencies to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and approve a
redevelopment plan for each project area. Existing law defines the
term "redevelopment" for these purposes and specifies the scope of
activities that the term includes.
   This bill would include in the definition of the term
"redevelopment" those activities that support the provision of
employment opportunities and expand the scope of activities included
in that term. The bill would additionally authorize the Redevelopment
Agency of the City of Los Angeles, at the request of its legislative
body, to prepare applications for, and execute, economic development
programs, to accept public or private assistance, and to expend
those funds for any economic development activities inside or outside
a project area within the territorial jurisdiction of the agency.
The bill would also authorize a redevelopment agency with a project
area located within the Cities of Healdsburg, Long Beach, Los
Angeles, Oakland, or Signal Hill to provide assistance for
establishment and maintenance of a small business incubator.
   (2) Existing law authorizes an agency to construct foundations,
platforms, and other structural forms necessary for the provision or
utilization of air rights sites for buildings to be used for
residential, commercial, industrial, or other uses contemplated by
the redevelopment plan. An agency is also authorized to establish a
program under which it loans funds to owners or tenants for the
purpose of rehabilitating commercial buildings or structures within
the project area.
   This bill would additionally authorize an agency to construct
buildings for industrial or manufacturing purposes and small business
incubators. The bill would expand the agency's programmatic
authority by authorizing it to provide loans, financial guarantees,
or other financial assistance to owners or tenants in a redevelopment
project area for retaining or expanding employment in the project
area, increasing energy efficiency of buildings in the project area,
or for any other redevelopment purpose, as specified.
   This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to
the necessity for a special statute.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 33020 of the Health and Safety Code is amended
to read:
   33020.  "Redevelopment" means the planning, development,
replanning, redesign, clearance, reconstruction, or rehabilitation,
or any combination of these, of all or part of a survey area, and the
provision of those residential, commercial, industrial, public, or
other structures or spaces as may be appropriate or necessary in the
interest of the general welfare, including recreational and other
facilities incidental or appurtenant to them  , activities that
support the provision of employment opportunities,  and payments
to school and community college districts in the fiscal years
specified in Sections 33681, 33681.5, 33681.7, 33681.9, and 33681.12.

  SEC. 2.  Section 33021 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to
read:
   33021.  Redevelopment includes:
   (a)  The alteration, improvement, modernization, reconstruction,
or rehabilitation, or any combination of these, of existing
structures in a project area.
   (b)  Provision for open-space types of use, such as streets and
other public grounds and space around buildings, and public or
private buildings, structures and improvements, and improvements of
public or private recreation areas and other public grounds.
   (c)  The replanning or redesign or original development of
undeveloped areas as to which either of the following conditions
exist.
   (1)  The areas are stagnant or improperly utilized because of
defective or inadequate street layout, faulty lot layout in relation
to size, shape, accessibility, or usefulness, or for other causes.
   (2)  The areas require replanning and land assembly for
reclamation or development in the interest of the general welfare
because of widely scattered ownership, tax delinquency, or other
reasons.
    (d) The construction, retrofit, lease, or use of facilities
within redevelopment project areas for industrial or manufacturing
uses and the provision or replacement of machinery and equipment in
those facilities, provided the construction, retrofit, lease or use,
or the products manufactured are intended to retain or expand the
number of persons employed in industrial or manufacturing jobs and
achieve any of the following: 
    (1) Reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. 
    (2) Increase the use of clean, renewable, or alternative
energy. 
    (3) Increase energy efficiency. 
    (4) Increase the use of recycled and locally sourced
materials. 
    (5) Increase efficiency in water, wastewater and stormwater
systems. 
    (6) Increase the efficiency of construction methods. 
    (7) Reduce demolition and construction-induced pollution and
waste material generation. 
    (8) Improve indoor air quality. 
    (9) Reduce building operation costs through increased
operation and maintenance efficiency. 
    (10) Reduce public infrastructure costs related to
development. 
    (e) Job training, job placement, apprenticeship and
preapprenticeship programs, and services relating to construction or
to operations of businesses in project areas. 
    (f) Providing loans, loan guarantees, and other financial
assistance to property owners and businesses in a project area for
the construction, retrofit, lease or use of a facility described in
subdivision (d). 
    (g) Paying the cost of any of the services described in
subdivision (e). 
    (h) Providing loans, loan guarantees, and other financial
assistance to property owners and businesses in or relocating to a
project area to retain or expand employment in the project area.

    (i) Assisting public agencies or private nonprofit
corporations to establish and maintain a small business incubator in
a project area. For purposes of this subdivision, "small business"
shall have the same meaning as defined in Section 11342.610 of the
Government Code. 
    (j) Marketing and promoting business and redevelopment
opportunities and cultural activities in project areas. 
  SEC. 3.  Section 33131.5 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to
read:
   33131.5.  In addition to authority otherwise provided in this
part, the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, at the
request of its legislative body, may do both of the following:
   (a) Prepare applications for various state and federal grant
programs relating to economic development, plan and carry out those
programs and expend grant funds inside or outside any redevelopment
project area within the territorial jurisdiction of the agency, and
comply with any conditions of the program.
   (b) Accept any other assistance from the state or federal
government or any public or private source, spend those funds for any
economic development activities inside or outside any redevelopment
project area within the territorial jurisdiction of the agency, and
comply with any conditions of that assistance.
  SEC. 4.  Article 10.5 (commencing with Section 33427) is added to
Chapter 4 of Part 1 of Division 24 of the Health and Safety Code, to
read:

      Article 10.5.  Small Business Development


   33427.  (a) In addition to any other authority granted under this
part, an agency may, within a project area, for the purposes of
redevelopment, assist public agencies or private nonprofit
corporations to establish, construct, and maintain a small business
incubator.
   (b) In addition to any other authority granted under this part, an
agency may, for the purposes of redevelopment, provide loan
guarantees for small businesses located within a project area.
   (c) For the purposes of this section, "small business" shall have
the same meaning as defined in Section 11342.610 of the Government
Code.
   (d) This section shall apply only to a project area that is
located within the City of Healdsburg, the City of Long Beach, the
City of Los Angeles, the City of Oakland, or the City of Signal Hill.
Any agency operating within one of those cities which uses the
authority granted by this section shall separately identify those
actions in the annual report to its legislative body prepared
pursuant to Section 33080.1.
   (e) No agency may amend a redevelopment plan to increase the tax
increment revenue limit pursuant to Section 33333.2 or 33333.4 for
the purpose of implementing this section.
  SEC. 5.  Section 33440 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to
read:
   33440.  Except as provided in Article 9 (commencing with Section
33410), this part does not authorize an agency to construct any of
the buildings for residential, commercial, industrial, or other use
contemplated by the redevelopment plan, except that, in addition to
its powers under Section 33445, an agency may construct foundations,
platforms, and other like structural forms necessary for the
provision or utilization of air rights sites for buildings to be used
for residential, commercial industrial, or other uses contemplated
by the redevelopment plan  , and may construct buildings for
industrial or manufacturing purposes meeting the criteria set forth
in subdivision (d) of Section 33021 and small business incubators
 .
  SEC. 6.  Section 33444.5 of the Health and Safety Code is amended
to read:
   33444.5.  An agency may establish a program under which it 
provides  loans  funds   , financial
guarantees, or other financial assistance  to owners or tenants
 in a redevelopment project area,  for  the purpose
of rehabilitating   any of the following purposes: 

    (a)     Rehabilitating  commercial
buildings or structures within the project area. 
   (b) Retaining or expanding employment in the project area. 

   (c) Increasing energy efficiency of buildings in the project area.
 
   (d) Any other redevelopment purpose specified in Section 33021.

  SEC. 7.  Section 33444.6 of the Health and Safety Code is amended
to read:
   33444.6.  (a)  Within a project area and as part of an agreement
that provides for the development  or   , 
rehabilitation  , or use  of property that will be used for
industrial or manufacturing purposes, an agency may assist with the
financing of facilities or capital equipment, including, but not
necessarily limited to, pollution control devices.
   (b)  Prior to entering into an agreement for a development that
will be assisted pursuant to this section, the agency shall find,
after a public hearing, that the assistance is necessary for the
economic feasibility of the development and that the assistance
cannot be obtained on economically feasible terms in the private
market.
  SEC. 8.  The Legislature finds and declares that a special law is
necessary and that a general law cannot be made applicable within the
meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution
because of the unique circumstances, needs, and challenges of the
City of Healdsburg, the City of Long Beach, the City of Los Angeles,
the City of Oakland, and the City of Signal Hill.