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Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQs)
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| Q: WHAT IS REDEVELOPMENT
ABOUT? |
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A: Redevelopment,
under the California Community Redevelopment Law
(CCRL; California Health and Safety Code Section
33000, et. seq.), is one of the few remaining
tools available in which a city can retain funds
to help reverse the deteriorating and/or inadequate
conditions of its streets, parking and other public
facilities, housing, and infrastructure, as well
as helping to promote and facilitate economic
development. Click here to see examples of existing
deficient conditions in the Survey Area.
Redevelopment has been one of California's most
effective economic development tools used to breathe
new life into areas which are negatively impacted
by a number of physical, environmental, and economic
conditions that inhibit new investment by private
enterprise.
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| Q: WHAT IS THE REDEVELOPMENT
AGENCY? |
| A: The Costa
Mesa Redevelopment Agency (the "Agency")
is composed of the City Council members elected
by Costa Mesa citizens. However, the Agency is a
separate public body, corporate and politic, from
the City of Costa Mesa. The Agency is activated
by the CCRL's enabling legislation. |
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| Q: WHEN DID COSTA MESA
ESTABLISH A REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA? |
| A: In
December 24, 1973, by Ordinance No. 73-44, the
City Council adopted the redevelopment plan for
the Costa Mesa Downtown Redevelopment Project
(subsequently amended 3 times to add territory).
Click to see map of the Existing Project
Area. |
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| Q: WHAT IS A REDEVELOPMENT
PLAN? |
| A: In legal
terms the redevelopment plan describes the purposes,
goals, and objectives which will help to eliminate
existing deteriorating and/or inadequate physical
and economic conditions from within a project area.
A plan is formulated and an implementation program
is selected to achieve the goals and objectives
for the local redevelopment program. |
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| Q: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO
LIVE OR OWN A BUSINESS IN A PROJECT AREA? |
| A: If you live
or own a business in a redevelopment project area,
you will have an opportunity to participate actively
in improving the quality of life in your neighborhood.
A community redevelopment program will usually include
provisions for the substantial reuse and rehabilitation
of existing facilities as well as long-term revitalization
of whole existing neighborhoods. |
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| Q: HOW WILL THE COSTA
MESA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY PAY FOR ITS ACTIVITIES? |
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A: The redevelopment
process provides for a change in the distribution
of property tax revenues collected on property
within a redevelopment project area. An agency
will retain a portion of the tax dollars paid
as a result of the increase in property values
caused by improvements, reassessments, inflation
or property sales. A chart illustrating the "tax
increment" created by project area land improvements
and/or transactions is presented in the following
exhibit:
Under current law, existing taxing
agencies will continue to receive a percentage
of property tax dollars they currently collect,
plus a percentage of any increase.
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| Q: WHAT VALUE IS REDEVELOPMENT
TO PROPERTY OWNERS? |
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A: Redevelopment
can eliminate deteriorating conditions and facilitate
construction of needed public improvements and
the other projects and programs without additional
cost to the property owner.
When redevelopment activities are completed,
the property values within, as well as around
a project area, should increase at a faster rate
than if the properties were not in a redevelopment
project area.
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| Q: HOW LONG WILL THE PROPERTY
BE IN REDEVELOPMENT? |
| A: The effective
life of a new or amended redevelopment plan (amended
to add territory) is 30 years from the date of its
adoption by the City Council. Other time and fiscal
limits are also mandated by the CCRL. |
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| Q: WILL REDEVELOPMENT
NEGATIVELY AFFECT RENTERS? |
| A: No. Rents
should not be affected because property taxes will
not increase due directly to redevelopment. In fact,
for qualifying residents, rents could conceivably
be lowered as a result of redevelopment programs
designed to increase, improve and preserve the community's
supply of affordable housing. |
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| Q: WILL REDEVELOPMENT
INCREASE MY TAXES? |
| A: No. In accordance
with Article XIII of the State of California Constitution,
taxes will only increase if there is a change in
ownership or if there is new construction on the
property. The higher taxes resulting from the sale
of property will reflect a rise in property values,not
an increase in tax rates. |
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| Q: DOES REDEVELOPMENT
OVERRIDE THE PROPOSITION 13 INITIATIVE? |
| A: No. The
Agency does not have the power to levy taxes. As
noted above, the only tax increase is caused by
property improvements or sales. Your individual
property taxes or the tax rates will not be affected!
The Agency receives its revenues by a redistribution
of existing property taxes, as previously described. |
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| Q: WILL REDEVELOPMENT
RAISE TAX RATES? |
| A: No. The
Agency does not set tax rates. Tax rates of taxing
agencies such as the schools, County of Orange,
the City and other special districts can only be
raised by a vote of the people. |
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| Q: HOW ABOUT PROPERTY
ACQUISITION? |
| A: The Original
Plan's eminent domain authority has expired. The
Agency may propose to reinstate this authority as
an action of the proposed amendment. The Agency
may enact certain eminent domain authority to affect
areas added to the existing Project Area by the
proposed Amendment. However, eminent domain determinations
have not yet been made. |
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| Q: I am a resident living
on Towne St. and I am trying to locate the PDF file
for the Exhibit A Proposed Preliminary Added Boundaries
Map. It isn't with the rest of the document. The
copy of the map that I have received is in black
and white and is very difficult to read. Please
let me know where to download the file or email
it to me so I can review it.? |
| A: You can
view/download copies of the maps of the Added
Territory by going to the News
and Information page on this web site. |
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