Wednesday, February 1, 2012 - Day one with out redevelopment agencies at 400 cities in California began at one second after midnight today.

In their place, some cities like Monterey Park and Rosemead are establishing permitted "Successor Agencies," with a skeleton crew to clean up the mess and maybe payoff debts and outstanding commitments. Most cities tallied a list of "must pay," debts and contracts that will be send up to Sacramento to consider and decide what to do about these. Most include contracts for projects, bonds and other routine issues that may not be up to the State.

In Monterey Park, the Redevelopment agency can take credit for a number of projects over the years. These include city hall, Langley Senior Center and several major shopping centers including Atlantic Square and the  new Atlantic Times Square.

Rosemead also counts numerous projects including two recently completed swimming pools, two senior centers and a fire station, according to a report by City Manager Jeff. Allred.

There was some last minute attempts in the legislature to extend the termination date to April, but such legislation never got out of committee and on the floor of the legislature.

Several issues are still unresolved. Rosemead doesn't know the fate of 130 low-income senior citizens currently living in city control housing. Monterey Park recently completed a four-unit low and moderate income apartment building for returning military veterans.  All four families have moved in. The city is also in the process of remodeling an 8-unit low/moderate income apartment complex on Chandler Avenue.

Revenue from the Redevelopment agencies will now go to the State to help in closing the state budget deficit. Some funds will also go to school districts throughout the state.

State legislators quoted said they were terminating the redevelopment agencies becauses of abuses by some cities in encouraging commercial development. They called it a "gift of public funds," and "corporate welfare" in cases involving financial assistance to developers.

Editor's Note: This article was prepared by David Barron and Art Landing.