Chamber: Culver City Is a ‘Big Loser’ in Abolition of Redevelopment Agencies

Culver City’s Chamber of Commerce waited till after the New Year’s long weekend before issuing a statement over the to uphold a new state law abolishing the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency and hundreds of similar agencies across the state.

In an official release early Tuesday morning, the Chamber noted, “Culver City, its residents and business community came out as one of the big losers in the state’s fight over control of redevelopment agency dollars and the loss of the agency and its outstanding work over 40 years.”

Citing some of the city’s landmarks that were aided by the Redevelopment Agency including City Hall, the redo of Washington Blvd in the Helms District, the Westfield Culver City Mall, the Miller Automotive Dealerships and the Globe and Tilden low to moderate income housing projects, the Chamber queried: “What would Culver City be [without these]?

In his first piece of official business for the Chamber, newly-elected Chair Goran Eriksson issued a statement saying, “My wife and I came to Culver City nearly 25 years ago to start our business and raise our two boys in a city that was on the verge of change due to the initial steps of the Redevelopment Agency. Over the years it has become the place in Los Angeles County that delivers culture, dining and most important an outstanding way of life. The Agency was the driving force in creating the environment for a prosperous and friendly Culver City of the 21st century and a catalyst for improving the economic and business climate in the city.”

Chamber President Steven Rose noted that in his eight years on the agency board as a councilmember, “My big thrill was assisting in creating the town plaza, opening the Kirk Douglas Theater, assisting in recreating a 1970’s mall into Westfield Culver City while upholding our commitment to our school district by providing well over a million dollars a year in back fill taxes.”

While it is still unclear what the court’s decision means for Redevelopment Agency projects in Culver City, Erkisson said the Chamber will continue to lobby the city’s representatives, including Senator Curren Price and Assemblywoman Holly Mitchell, both of whom supported the dissolution of the agencies.

“The right thing to do for our representatives in Sacramento is to start to listen to their electorates in their district and not big money in Sacramento so we quickly and together can resurrect the Redevelopment Agency and restore local control to our city’s destiny,” Erkisson said.

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