Council grants Community Redevelopment Agency 60‑day extension to deliver FY 2001 budget amid HUD block grant pressures

The Los Angeles City Council voted to extend the deadline for the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to submit its fiscal‑year budget by 60 days, citing an ongoing joint review of federal block grant programs and the need to reallocate funds to comply with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) spending requirements.

Councilmember Nick Pacheco and other members pressed CRA staff for details. Randy Wilkins, deputy for finance and accounting at the CRA, told the council the agency had previously asked for two prior extensions — a 60‑day and then 30‑day delay — and requested the additional 60 days while the agency participates in a joint committee review of block‑grant‑funded projects.

Councilmember Jackie Goldberg and others said HUD has directed the city to spend federal funds promptly and that the CRA’s reallocation plan, which Wilkins said totals roughly $30 million in block grant funds, is intended to help remove the city from HUD probation. Goldberg described the CRA’s funding timeline as a contributing factor to the delayed budget submission.

Councilmember Janice Hahn (speaker name as given in transcript) and others raised concerns about a separate CRA committee item on staff reassignments and warned they would oppose changes before the council had the agency’s budget in hand. CRA staff said they were working with a task force conducting an exhaustive review of block grant allocations and expected to present results shortly.

After debate the council approved the motion to continue the budget submittal deadline 60 days; the vote was recorded as 11 ayes.