City Council to Hold Special Friday Meeting for Housing Authority

The City Council will hold a special meeting Friday morning to consider adopting a series of resolutions proposed by city staff in an effort to protect redevelopment dollars from a state grab.

The Poway Housing Authority agenda item is being pulled from the March 15 regular City Council meeting and expedited as Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal to eliminate redevelopment agencies becomes a larger threat.

"We're being advised by our attorneys and specialists that we should move quicker," said legislative administrator Eric Heidemann. "Because of some of the undertones that are happening at the state level—we're being told that perhaps his plan has been accelerated—and we're trying to be proactive by convening this special meeting this week as opposed to next week."

The Poway Housing Authority was originally adopted on March 1 to protect about $7 million in redevelopment funds. On Friday, City Council members will be asked to approve a series of nine resolutions to move the Housing Authority forward, including appointing a chairman.

"There's a real threat to all the redevelopment agencies in the state," Heidemann said. "We're not going to wait for the state to abolish it."

Poway's move to approve the Housing Authority is consistent with other California cities and comes in response to Brown's proposal to eliminate redevelopment agencies in an attempt to help close a $28 billion deficit.

The Poway Housing Authority will meet every first and third Tuesday after the City Council meeting.

Friday's meeting begins at 7:30 a.m. in the Council Chambers.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated from its original version.