Editorial Review:

This is an important book for those interested in understanding the fundamentals about a complex and powerful process utilized by three-fourths of the cities and counties in the State of California. Redevelopment agencies are the primary agencies of local government in California that have the legal authority, on-going funding, and mission to reverse the deleterious effects of physical and economic conditions of blight. Utilizing long-proven methods and leading-edge ideas to rebuild neighborhoods and business districts, redevelopment in California has grown to be the most comprehensive and successful state framework for the public sector to work directly with private property owners, business owners, investors, developers and tenants to revitalize declining areas of a local community.

Because the California redevelopment process is over 50 years old, it has been amended many times by the state legislature to ensure that redevelopment meets the current needs of the citizens of California. As California has changed, so has redevelopment. Although the mission of redevelopment to eliminate the cancer of blight and revitalize communities remains the same as when the process was first enacted into law in 1945, the redevelopment process has proven to be not only remarkably adaptable to the current situation, but anticipative of the future needs of California cities and counties. Numerous communities have avoided the ravages of slums and decay because elected and appointed officials have exercise the leadership to educate their citizens about the benefits of actively working with private individuals and organizations to rebuild deteriorating areas of their community. Although redevelopment is controversial at times, the process is a time-proven success for those communities that exercise foresight and patient administration by conscientious officials representing the citizens of their community.

Because redevelopment law is complicated, it is often misunderstood. The purpose of Introduction to Redevelopment is to demystify the redevelopment process. There are many aspects of redevelopment that practitioners must understand in order to effectively use redevelopment to improve a community. The authors of the various chapters and case studies will share their vast experience in redevelopment through factual explanation, advice and examples that will enlighten the uninitiated and stimulate those experienced in the process. If one is willing to invest the time and effort needed to learn the principles and practice of redevelopment, it will prove to be a relatively straightforward process.

I encourage you to not only read this text, but tour the state of California. See first hand the tremendous improvements that benefit the lives of Californians every day because an obscure process called redevelopment has been sensibly used to renew declining parts of the cities throughout the state. Your tour will also bring home the fact that the war against blight is not won and that redevelopment must continue to be utilized if the communities of California are to be safe, healthy and prosperous. The people of California are optimistic as we look toward the new century. Redevelopment will continue to contribute to this optimism. This text will explain how redevelopment works for the people of California.