California Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Redevelopment Case

The California Supreme Court agreed Thursday to hear a case challenging a recent law that forces city redevelopment agencies to pay millions to the state in order to keep operating.

Filed by the California Redevelopment Association (CRA), to force redevelopment agencies to fork over millions to help fund state education obligations.

Redevelopment agencies are government agencies that help create private sector jobs through economic development - eliminating them or forcing them to use local tax dollars to stay intact is a major part of the budget the state legislature passed in June.

The high court agreed to hear the case Thursday and also issued a partial stay that allows redevelopment agencies to withhold payment until the case is resolved, according to the CRA.

"We’re very gratified that the California Supreme Court has agreed to take our case, issued the stay we requested to preserve the status quo, and that it is moving forward on an expedited basis,” said Chris McKenzie, Executive Director of the League of California Cities, in a written statement.

Altadena's redevelopment zone is in the Lincoln Corridor, and most of the efforts over the years have gone into developing the Lincoln Crossing development.

Representatives of LA County’s Community Development Commission, which represents Altadena, have told Patch in that they don't know whether the state's actions would result in the redevelopment agency shutting down or not.

They've also argued that without redevelopment the Lincoln Corridor .

Though Lincoln Crossing has been a commercial success, there have been complaints over parking and traffic which county officials have over the years.