[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6427875,"mediaKeyId","5880912-1463ee11808f58c15ddfebc404fa1837","parentId",5880912,"title","Longstanding downtown dojo faces displacement as Corona advances mall redevelopment","audioSeconds",5187,"startMs",3509000,"endMs",8696000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5880912-1463ee11808f58c15ddfebc404fa1837&start=3509&end=8696","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5880912-1463ee11808f58c15ddfebc404fa1837/thumbnail_3509000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6427875/Corona-City/Riverside-County/California/Longstanding-downtown-dojo-faces-displacement-as-Corona-advances-mall-redevelopment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6427875-340ccabf7bae81df08435eaa3b8955b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775055133&Signature=VSE6wret6WPoqd1QIeCO~ILDH~GELinJC39RGVT9rWPXWqRI5IHDq4l32P6Zh7uRwZhhj8QXvxNphhQ8dj0P4Rc6FHHBEItIOkijKgm4YWV0mAO-XxpaaELut74taxBQChY2hUdKFC5rjr18pZvdAVYnJme-7ft0XGUG5YZmq7A5rHhFPQHbWNyxbkdB3bb7eqPu1-~SAcN89ey1qbdiRcSOJIOC58~zOzmEH0C4hrjFkH60~MdjPuijo3Cc-PHZ7U8qaSpkQnx3yTRohiiLFbx1a0R0QSA-n9VGCFAOuRrtrQXWS~RATAmJZxZYUTX37gVQJQfSJpuGGUoaQoFfNg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Corona","date","2025-10-02T22:56:30Z","article","All American Karate School, a martial-arts studio that has operated in downtown Corona for more than 40 years, told the City Council it received formal notice that its leased space at the North Mall must be vacated by Oct. 13, and dozens of parents, students and alumni urged the council to help the school stay in Corona.

The school\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000owners, Nicole Lipari Romero (co-owner of All American Karate School) and Michael Romero (co-owner), said the announced demolition and redevelopment of the North Mall left them with weeks to find a new site despite having run programs for generations of Corona children.

The school\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000has been cited repeatedly by parents and community members at the meeting for its role in providing affordable youth programming, leadership training and consistent weekday foot traffic that local businesses rely on. Ridley Romero, a longtime student and instructor, told the council the dojo is a \"second family\" to students across age groups and abilities.

Why it matters: Commenters said losing All American Karate School would displace hundreds of regular attendees and erode a source of after-school supervision, mentoring and local business traffic at a moment the city is attempting to revitalize downtown.

What city staff told the council: Joel (economic development director) and Jacob Ellis (city manager) outlined steps staff have taken to help the studio relocate and to soften financial impacts. Staff said they had provided the owners with a running list of available sites (22 locations transmitted since April), arranged meetings with county economic development partners, and offered a relocation benefit package that includes reimbursement and payments the state relocation rules require when government-owned property displaces a business.

Joel told the council the city would buy interior improvements the business cannot move (he identified about $74,000 in on-site improvements), reimburse for movable fixtures (about $11,000), provide up to $10,000 for reestablishment costs and had waived roughly $17,500 in rent to reduce near-term impacts. Staff said those payments total about $112,000 in direct value being offered under the relocation process. Staff also said they were prepared to continue assistance after the Oct. 13 move date.

What owners and commenters said: Michael Romero and many parents said the offers were late or unclear, and that multiple months passed without consistent contact from city staff. Several parents, former students and community leaders said they had repeatedly requested a concrete plan and asked the council either to secure temporary space (for example, community buildings or the recreation center) or extend the move-out deadline while a permanent solution was found.

Council and staff reaction: Council members acknowledged frustration in the community and asked staff to accelerate outreach. Councilmember Chris McCoy urged the city manager to find short-term space and, if necessary, approve an extension so the school could continue uninterrupted. Joel reiterated staff\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000had been sharing listings and that relocation benefit payments would be public and documented.

Next steps: City staff said they will continue site searches, keep providing listings and process relocation payments per state relocation rules for government projects. Several council members asked staff to prioritize solutions that would allow the studio to operate in or near downtown during and after redevelopment.

Taper: Multiple residents said they would return to council if the city could not deliver a practical relocation plan or a short-term venue for classes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting - 10/1/25","oneSentenceSummary","All American Karate School, a martial-arts studio that has operated in downtown Corona for more than 40 years, told the City Council it received formal notice that its leased space at the North Mall must be vacated by Oct. 13, and dozens of parents, students and alumni urged the council to help the school stay in Corona.","taxTitle","Corona City, Riverside County, California","taxId",5799,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6427868,"Council backs pilot payroll support to attract curated tenants to downtown 'hub'",1350,7080000,8430000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5880912-1463ee11808f58c15ddfebc404fa1837&start=7080&end=8430","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5880912-1463ee11808f58c15ddfebc404fa1837/thumbnail_7080000.jpg","/articles/6427868/Corona-City/Riverside-County/California/Council-backs-pilot-payroll-support-to-attract-curated-tenants-to-downtown-hub","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6427868-c897b3c8234d20acbd2cc163c702b087/orig.mp4?Expires=1775055133&Signature=PELIAyguJy9P7ZYM1FE-8Ru9Uu8mRbttrGA6AM0LW-ohA7hhr8C16sMst63Kzhlc31iJDg6tLi4u2SxsBbn1I0VevxDTDtUiFtc0jN5Shf3wOumH~SlvScubk0jMy5wtHtfVYObiB3hmVjgBNOL3m9u9SaqVs2K3WejoAvii3Px6qhNdlyBU3pMIaBMGs1-tN6-F09SfDv~Fcj~585L3jcSB~jKnHdkHiqkdMsa8CA29MKePwNCox-i7B8CXe-u7SfI1bkShjVoNBhrbSr8EZY2kSHwEXOi1xg6PulGVthyT161ElMuIIarxujwtptq1SV6p8iPDJ~lIRipc4A3Dtg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Council authorized staff on Oct. 1 to develop a job-creation pilot program that would use forgivable loans or payroll subsidies and tenant-improvement incentives to attract curated tenants to the Hub, a city-prioritized commercial center in downtown Corona.

Economic development staff presented a program modeled on similar incentives used by other Southern California cities, saying the tool would help recruit unique restaurants and entertainment operators and speed a transformation the city has sought for years.

Why it matters: Downtown stakeholders told the city that ordinary market forces were not delivering the kind of diverse, walkable mix of uses residents requested. Staff said modest, targeted incentives will help the Hub compete with private shopping centers that routinely offer free rent, tenant-improvement allowances or other concessions to secure desirable tenants.

Program outline: Joel (economic development director) told council the pilot would propose a public fund of roughly $1.0 million to $1.5 million, intended to support 15\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000to 18 tenants. The award structure being developed would link assistance to job creation and to minimum performance rules; staff said they would require reporting, collateral and local-hiring commitments where appropriate.

Staff emphasized the pilot would be narrowly scoped, administered by existing staff, and would return detailed program guidelines and individual loan agreements to the council before final execution. Staff suggested potential repayment sources could include sales tax, accessory tax on property or tenant rent payments.

Public comment and council concerns: Speakers supported the idea but asked for strong transparency and guardrails. Councilmember Jackie asked for anti-fraud audit language and clarity on funding sources; another speaker urged the city to involve the Corona Chamber of Commerce. A few speakers objected to public-sector incentives for private businesses, recommending rent subsidies or tenant-improvement allowances instead of payroll subsidies.

Council action: After discussion, the council voted to authorize staff to develop program rules and administrative documents and to pursue the pilot; staff will return loan documents and any proposed agreements to council for approval before funds are committed.

Taper: Staff said no funds are expected to be required until the next fiscal year; the pilot will be revisited for possible replication in other priority corridors if successful.","Council authorized staff to develop a forgivable-loan-style pilot to subsidize partial payroll and tenant improvements for targeted businesses at the Hub commercial center to accelerate downtown revitalization; staff proposed a $1.0\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000to $1.5 million fund and said final agreements will return to council for approval.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6427854,"City staff revives business improvement district plan for downtown; Prop. 218 vote anticipated",212,2371000,2583000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5880912-1463ee11808f58c15ddfebc404fa1837&start=2371&end=2583","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5880912-1463ee11808f58c15ddfebc404fa1837/thumbnail_2371000.jpg","/articles/6427854/Corona-City/Riverside-County/California/City-staff-revives-business-improvement-district-plan-for-downtown-Prop-218-vote-anticipated","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6427854-036a3d53be2a694a81373092d51bb11c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775055133&Signature=CX1IlgaYHl1ylHxtZ52MEMjiXFZFeCWKZdLQXSDVJYCFNPhxQVt8r9AKKigVHWKrktSWQ1bPS-0zSC~ieJy7krB9jB2mhWEEivCed5F6PMFLqm77ZSZk8JqkXkGgrIc4XgD5WmaBjcwatu1EOxDLsI8yWc17MZth4iJyBRodeAWzg3K5jOAULX2x8b6m~3Fm3kckWOIIvr7Cqc4pepW~gz~HY6iwqLagbZU0PLWMD2Wpx-RcgLixyEMQEePPMazqaLv9CjbqD4lWHziTTsdGEVENVJV4C5KUI370a~MNQp0VkiLQaoKP-ZFBs1PnUl8NXqqBFnpRC5pMzxDSxxsNJw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff updated the City Council on plans to form a downtown Business Improvement District (BID), outlining outreach, a management plan and the Prop. 218 assessment vote required to collect the district\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000funding if property owners support the plan.

Staff said the BID effort was originally launched in 2022, paused, and is now restarting because of significant development activity in the downtown corridor. Joel (economic development director) said staff had engaged a consultant (Spicer Consulting Group) to work with property owners on boundary definition, a management plan, a budget and the Prop. 218 (ballot) process that governs assessments.

Why it matters: BIDs create a locally governed funding stream for security, lighting, landscaping, events and marketing. Staff told council the proposed core boundary would extend along Main Street north and south and to West 6th Street east-west, focused on the downtown mall and adjacent blocks.

Planned steps and timeline: Staff said the process will include stakeholder engagement this fall, a draft management plan in the fall, formal stakeholder meetings in January, an engineer's report and assessment diagram in February, a council resolution and public hearing in March and June respectively, and placement of assessments on the 2026-27 tax roll (Levy Aug. 16, 2026) if approved by property owners in the Prop. 218 process.

Public comment: No public speakers addressed this item during the presentations period.

Taper: Staff asked the council for continued direction; no formal action to create the BID was recorded on Oct. 1.","Staff resumed work to form a Business Improvement District (BID) for the downtown core, outlining stakeholder outreach, a management plan, an engineer's report and a Prop. 218 assessment vote timeline that would place assessments on the 2026-27 tax roll if approved; council heard boundary sketches and next steps.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6427850,"Council approves Meritage density-bonus housing project despite neighborhood parking concerns",1200,9998000,11198000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5880912-1463ee11808f58c15ddfebc404fa1837&start=9998&end=11198","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5880912-1463ee11808f58c15ddfebc404fa1837/thumbnail_9998000.jpg","/articles/6427850/Corona-City/Riverside-County/California/Council-approves-Meritage-density-bonus-housing-project-despite-neighborhood-parking-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6427850-3e49ddc5fb4c464153e3f914da4b87e2/orig.mp4?Expires=1775055133&Signature=AbxquonCDPbZFAAO3NWPkgjKGLCz1sCslzI6ibUwa2RtsheT7eYJhOkBxiPTYeFqfLsoFP5AK8rp2lScCJVysvRVWYg0rfFJhyNkFXn92NevQLJwLNGdJUzr4FyxxMwMgNBxAcmuTsRnyPoxQDEH5kkJMhYGIRUTb-RgWuzq9PtLFRrQDNnuZHjgcCSaxzaHG0nvNPtbz8Fv~src5BbGrqWCILatkCn1qgwV5wfE~SF4UNQ8WkeT6V0zDpfXILzIxpAEsUakwmtE0H0noiATJbKgIeLSJ8eryXlEdASQoLYwd2kDrZK2DlFEdxvzd6I9JuWHktjLvu-7AluDJ2~vqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Council approved a Meritage Homes residential project that will build 57 condominium townhomes on a 2.86-acre site at 1717 Via Del Rio using California\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000density-bonus provisions.

Project and action: The development proposed 57 units, including three affordable units described in the staff report. Meritage sought waivers commonly associated with density-bonus projects; staff recommended conditional approvals and the council voted to approve the zoning and related entitlements.

Why it matters: The project uses state density-bonus statutes that provide concessions and waivers when a developer includes affordable units; speakers and some council members said the law narrows local control and makes it difficult to reject requested reductions such as smaller setbacks or fewer parking spaces.

Concerns raised at the hearing: Neighbors and some council members objected to reduced parking and tighter setbacks, warning of spillover parking into adjacent streets and more traffic demands on local intersections. One resident asked why council votes on notices after public comment and said the city seemed constrained by state law to approve projects meeting density-bonus criteria.

Staff response and mitigations: Staff and Meritage representatives said they would fund or add audible crossing aids at nearby intersections for visually impaired residents and would work on solutions such as driveway widths and garage-window checks to encourage garage use by tenants; staff also said the project would be required to follow any neighborhood parking permit rules that council or staff later adopt.

Council view: Several council members said they were reluctant but cited state statutory limits on denying density-bonus concessions. Some members asked staff to monitor parking and consider residential parking permit programs if neighborhood spillover materializes.

Taper: There will be construction and permitting steps before building begins; staff will return with standard implementation steps and compliance checks in later reports.","Council approved a 57-unit townhome condominium project using California density-bonus provisions; staff and speakers debated waived standards including reduced setbacks and fewer parking spaces; council members said state law constrained local discretion but asked staff to mitigate spillover parking and circulation impacts.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6427839,"Student-led group reports donation drive, partnerships after city support",244,2676000,2920000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5880912-1463ee11808f58c15ddfebc404fa1837&start=2676&end=2920","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5880912-1463ee11808f58c15ddfebc404fa1837/thumbnail_2676000.jpg","/articles/6427839/Corona-City/Riverside-County/California/Student-led-group-reports-donation-drive-partnerships-after-city-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6427839-3010cf48832d5751de98a90af226d824/orig.mp4?Expires=1775055133&Signature=QQiUohlvoICXaCKV8GHiaX-jxIXToo-MlbXz-WqvqF3GMb6uMBdogXdIcQY9HbjF~vH-PIGcjP4cOf8lKc6qgKygxnxTM15pbrbHbwCKDWtz29xKFb5JZByYjXm7kndIoP5AwfI0yGXNay-SWFgPEmyeMAT2coCkmyhshrJKW5MwdpucZzzUDpeirVDr8TN3p9ih-~GyVrQwKpjfyOU8RjFNlzRFjS0m8iKY3gzoll3tB5HB7rGqQGcFlJKgghpTTv7B5B1poRz9XXjEwFYC-JiepYz-d2cLSHOW0EePCSM6TULcrEqU9aaRQbUy1WzdXhOXakhg2CdtvnxMUXXSFA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Youth Against Human Trafficking (Y-AHT), a student-led nonprofit that began as a club at John F. Kennedy Middle College, presented its work and plans to the City Council, reporting a recent donation drive that generated more than 500 toiletry items distributed to survivors through a Cast LA partnership.

The group's CEO and founder, Eva Baltierra, and a board of high-school-aged officers described their focus areas as awareness, advocacy, youth leadership, survivor support and education. Speakers said the nonprofit grew from a 2022 school club and formally organized after students recognized local needs.

Why it matters: Council members and staff praised the youth initiative for filling gaps in local awareness and for partnering with established service providers such as CAST (Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking). CAST's Amy Nguyen described survivors' continuous needs for housing, legal, medical and mental-health services and thanked the students for their drive.

What the group reported: Y-AHT said it had coordinated a school donation drive that gathered over 530 items (hygiene supplies and other basic goods) and had begun building chapters across the Corona-Norco Unified School District. The students described a volunteer platform on their website (yacht.life) to log volunteer hours and coordinate drives.

Requests and next steps: Students requested continued city support and said financial assistance, storage and help with advertising would expand their reach. Council members thanked the students and encouraged staff to coordinate city support where feasible.

Taper: CAST and Y-AHT officials said they would continue joint outreach and that Y-AHT plans to expand chapters, volunteer recruitment and donation boxes in community centers and libraries.","Youth Against Human Trafficking, a student-run nonprofit that began as a high-school club, reported collecting more than 500 toiletry items for trafficking survivors, building chapters, volunteers and a volunteer hours tracking website after initial city funding; CAST (Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking) offered support.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Longstanding downtown dojo faces displacement as Corona advances mall redevelopment

Council backs pilot payroll support to attract curated tenants to downtown 'hub'

City staff revives business improvement district plan for downtown; Prop. 218 vote anticipated

Council approves Meritage density-bonus housing project despite neighborhood parking concerns

Student-led group reports donation drive, partnerships after city support