County of Los Angeles v. GLENDORA REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT

This appeal concerns the validity of appellants’ redevelopment plan, adopted by ordinance in July 2006. The trial court invalidated the ordinance, concluding that the necessary findings of blight were not supported by substantial evidence in the administrative record. Having independently reviewed the record, we reach the same conclusion. We shall therefore affirm.

BACKGROUND

The appellants are the City of Glendora, the City Council of the City of Glendora, and the Glendora Redevelopment Agency (collectively, Glendora). The respondent here is the County of Los Angeles (the County).

I. Redevelopment Law

This case involves the Community Redevelopment Law (CRL). (Health & Saf. Code, § 33000 et seq.)

“The California Redevelopment Act was enacted in 1945 to address problems of urban blight.” (Evans v. City of San Jose (2005) 128 Cal.App.4th 1123, 1131 [ 27 Cal.Rptr.3d 675 ] (Evans).) “Redevelopment agencies are authorized to combat blight using three extraordinary powers—the diversion of property taxes that otherwise would have gone to the state or other government entities; the use of public funds to subsidize private enterprise; and the power of eminent domain.”…