Frequently Asked Questions

What is redevelopment?
What is the Concord Redevelopment Agency?
What is the Concord Redevelopment Agency's Mission?
What is blight?
What are the powers of a redevelopment agency?
What laws govern redevelopment agencies?
Why is redevelopment important?
What can redevelopment do?
Why can't private enterprise do it alone?
What is a redevelopment plan?
What is a project area?
How is redevelopment financed?
What is tax increment?
Why does the agency have the power of eminent domain (condemnation of property)?
What is relocation?
How do redevelopment agencies maintain affordable housing?
Is my property located in the Redevelopment Area?
How can I learn more about Redevelopment?

1. What is redevelopment?

Redevelopment is a tool created by state law to assist local governments in eliminating blight from a designated area, as well as to achieve the goals of development, reconstruction and rehabilitation of residential, commercial, industrial and retail districts.

Examples of redevelopment tools:

Ability to assemble land for development
Ability to utilize tax increment and issue bonds
Ability to invest in infrastructure to make the area suitable for private investment
Ability to create affordable housing opportunities

2. What is the Concord Redevelopment Agency?

The Concord Redevelopment Agency (Agency) is one of the most important sources of public investment in Concord . It is a locally controlled public entity that exists to alleviate blight and improve the city, create jobs, and strengthen the tax base. The Agency is governed by the Concord City Council, which serves as the Board of Directors, but in fact is a separate and distinct entity from the City. By law, Agency funds must be spent on projects that benefit the City's redevelopment project area.

3. What is the Concord Redevelopment Agency's Mission?

Concord's redevelopment program was formed with the goal of removing blighting influences in the Redevelopment Area.

The redevelopment Area consists of four separate districts:

1) Central Concord (Parcels I-V)
2) North Concord (Subarea A of Parcel V)
3) Willow Pass Corridor (Subarea B of Parcel V)
4) Monument Blvd Corridor (Subarea C of Parcel V)

Central Concord

The Central Concord Redevelopment Project was originally approved in 1974, and and originally encompassed a large area that focused on downtown and the area between downtown and State Highway 242. This original area is referred to as Parcel 1 in the Redevelopment Plan. Subsequently, the Redevelopment Plan was amended to add two other large areas: “the West Concord Area” (added in 1976) and the “Commerce avenue Area” (added in 1979), respectively referred to as Parcels III and IV in the Plan. These amendments extended the area within the Project Area boundary to Interstate Highway 680.

Central Concord currently includes the City’s Central Business District, the downtown Concord BART station, two major shopping centers, two hotels, and over 4 million square feet of office space. In December 2000, the Redevelopment Agency adopted the Central Concord Redevelopment Strategy and Implementation Plan, which sets forth a vision for future development and specific redevelopment strategies. The essential element of the vision adopted as a part of this strategy is as follows:

Central Concord is a premier community to live, work, and do business.
Central Concord provides an opportunity for in-town living and state-of-the-art business enterprise as well as services and activities for residents of all ages to enjoy.

2006 Redevelopment Plan Amendment

In October 2006, Monument Boulevard Corridor, Willow Pass Road Corridor, and portions of North Concord were added to the Redevelopment Area. The North Concord subarea consists of approximately 188 acres, mostly on the north side of Highway 4 at its intersection with Highway 242. The North Concord Subarea is generally bounded by Solano Way to the west, Bates Avenue to the north, commercial circle to the east, and Arnold Industrial Parkway , Peralta Road , and Olivera Road to the south. The Willow Pass subarea consists of approximately 89 acres and is generally located along Willow Pass Road between Port Chicago highway to the west and San Vicente Drive to the east. The Monument corridor Subarea consists of approximately 123 acres and is generally located along Monument Boulevard between Victory Lane at its western end and Walters Way and Systron Drive in the east.

The purpose of adding these areas to the Redevelopment Plan includes:

Elimination of blighting conditions which have prevented the proper utilization of buildings or land, including, among others, deficient or deteriorated buildings, inadequate or unsafe pedestrian and vehicular circulation and access, lots or buildings of inadequate size or substandard design, incompatible uses, properties containing hazardous wastes, and inadequate public improvements or utilities.
Strengthening of commercial and light industrial functions.
Expansion, improvement and preservation of the community’s supply of low and moderate-income and market-rate housing.
Provision of adequate land for parking and open spaces.
Re-planning, redesign and development of undeveloped areas that are stagnant or improperly utilized.
Assembly of land into parcels suitable for modern, integrated development with improved pedestrian and vehicular circulation.
Provision of opportunities for participation by owners and tenants in the revitalization of their properties.
Installation of needed public improvements to stimulate new residential, commercial and light industrial expansion, employment and economic growth
Avoidance of any undesirable impact of project activities upon adjacent areas outside the Project Area.
Provision of public improvements needed to support other objectives of the Redevelopment Plan, in any part of the Project Area or beyond project boundaries where essential to the success of the project.
Maximizing of opportunities wherever possible for the retention of existing property interests, for local investors as well as for the continuation, revitalization and expansion of existing commercial enterprises.

4. What is blight?

Blight consists of the physical and economic conditions within an area that cause a reduction of, or lack of, proper utilization of that area.

5. What are the powers of a redevelopment agency?

California Community Redevelopment Law (CRL) prescribes the powers of a redevelopment agency. An agency may prepare and carry out plans for the improvement, rehabilitation and redevelopment of blighted areas. Once the plan adoption process has begun, an agency may exercise certain additional powers, such as acquiring property.

6. What laws govern redevelopment agencies?

The California Community Redevelopment Law (CRL), contained in the California Health and Safety Code beginning with Section 33000 et seq., provides the authority and implementation provisions for a redevelopment program. California voters adopted Article XVI, Section 16 of the California Constitution in 1952, providing for tax increment financing.

7. Why is redevelopment important?

Redevelopment is one of the most effective ways to breathe new life into deteriorated areas plagued by social, physical, environmental or economic conditions which act as a barrier to new investment by private enterprise. Through redevelopment, a project area will receive focused attention and financial investment to reverse deteriorating trends, create jobs, revitalize the business climate, rehabilitate and add to the housing stock and gain active participation and investment by citizens which would not otherwise occur.

8. What can redevelopment do?

Redevelopment activities may include the rehabilitation/reconstruction of existing structures, the redesign/replanning of areas with inefficient site layout, the demolition and clearance of existing structures, the construction/rehabilitation of affordable housing and the construction of public facilities including, but not limited to, public buildings, streets, sidewalks, sewers, storm drains, water systems and street lights. All of this contributes to general economic revitalization of an area, making it more attractive for additional investors.

9. Why can't private enterprise do it alone?

Community redevelopment is usually accomplished by forming a partnership of public and private enterprise. Public funds are used to lay the foundation and provide the pre-conditions that are necessary for private enterprises to be interested in and capable of investing their financial resources. Through the redevelopment process, a partnership of public and private efforts can join forces to bring new life to deteriorating areas.

10. What is a redevelopment plan?

The plan provides the Agency with powers to take certain actions such as to buy and sell land within the area covered by the plan (project area), improving dilapidated facilities and to use tax increment financing. A redevelopment plan is adopted by ordinance of the governing body of the community. Adoption of the plan is based on the recommendations of the agency, the planning commission, and the project area or redevelopment advisory committee (if formed). Public hearings are required so that community input can be considered before the plan is adopted.

11. What is a project area?

The area within which actual redevelopment will take place. The project area must first go to public hearing (giving citizens who will be included in the project area a chance to express their views) after which the Redevelopment Agency acts on the adoption of the project area and becomes primarily responsible for future projects.

12. How is redevelopment financed?

Redevelopment is primarily financed by tax increment revenue. Other revenue sources includes loans, grants and issuance of tax allocation bonds.

Typically, agencies use tax increment funds to leverage financial assistance from various agencies of the state and federal governments, and private sources.

13. What is tax increment?

Tax increment is the primary source of revenue that redevelopment agencies have to undertake redevelopment projects. It is based on the assumption that a revitalized project area will generate more property taxes than were being produced before redevelopment. When a redevelopment project area is adopted, the current assessed values of the property within the project area are designated as the base year value. Tax increment comes from the increased assessed value of property, not from an increase in tax rate. Any increases in property value, as assessed because of change of ownership or new construction, will increase tax revenue generated by the property. This increase in tax revenue is the tax increment that goes to the Agency.

14. Why does the agency have the power of eminent domain (condemnation of property)?

Eminent domain or condemnation is the right of a government to take private property for public use in exchange for just compensation. Agencies may use this redevelopment tool to assemble many separate parcels of land into a site large enough for their needs in order to reduce or eliminate a blighting condition.

15. What is relocation?

Relocation is the displacement of a business or family for the purpose of clearing land and preparing it for its designated use. When a person or business meets the legal qualifications, the redevelopment agency pays for: assistance in finding a new location, payments to help cover moving costs, and payments for certain other costs as provided by law.

16. How do redevelopment agencies maintain affordable housing?

California Community Redevelopment Law (CRL) requires that no less than 20 percent of tax increment revenue derived from a redevelopment project area be used to increase, improve, and preserve the supply of housing for very low-, low- and moderate-income households. If none is provided within a redevelopment project area, then the funds must be used to build twice that amount elsewhere. Possibilities include financial assistance to upgrade existing units, the construction of new housing, and improvements to public facilities and infrastructure that service low- and moderate-income neighborhoods.

17. Is my property located in the Redevelopment Area?

Please refer to the Redevelopment Project Area maps shown below, to see if your property is located in the Redevelopment Area. A title report on your property will also show if your property is included in the area.