Eminent Domain Report

In his Tuesday column for the San Francisco Chronicle, former Mayor (Willie) Brown takes former Mayor (Jerry) Brown to task for having forgotten about all the good things that redevelopment money did for him while he was Mayor of Oakland.  The renovation of the Fox Theater, construction of 10,000 units of housing downtown, the creation of two charter schools - all undertaken with redevelopment money.

But here is what may be the big news.  Despite all the talk of abolishing redevelopment agencies in California, a compromise may be in the works.  According to Willie Brown, in Deal on state redevelopment agencies in the works:

My sources tell me that for all the posturing, a deal is being struck.

Jerry will tell the mayors how much money he needs. And if they come up with the golden eggs, the threat of killing the redevelopment goose will go away.

Of course, the devil is in the detail. In the mean time, Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 4 Hearing on Redevelopment kicks off Thursday morning at 9:30 with the Assembly Budget Subcommittee hearing to follow on the 7th.