Woosley

This is an appeal from a denial of a petition for writ of mandate. Appellant Bell Community Redevelopment Agency sought to compel respondent Woosley, the Agency Secretary, to publish a notice inviting bids on the Agency’s bonds. We reverse the superior court denial and order the writ of mandate to issue.

A discussion of the issues raised by this appeal perforce begins with a brief discussion of redevelopment law. California’s redevelopment law was first passed in the 1950’s. The stated purpose is to present communities with a vehicle by which to eliminate the physical, social and economic liabilities characteristic of blighted areas.

The redevelopment process begins when a community forms a Redevelopment Agency (Agency) which, along with the planning commission, identifies a predominantly urbanized, blighted area and designates it a redevelopment or project area. A plan for the project area is formulated and ultimately adopted by the local government body. Though an Agency is given broad powers to implement this plan, it does not have the power nor ability to levy a tax to finance these efforts. (Huntington Park Redevelopment Agency v. Martin (1985) 38 Cal.3d 100, 106 […