RDA board moves to appropriate affordable-housing set-aside and to study a larger downtown survey area

After convening as the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) governing board, members discussed an amended project-area plan for the Freedom Plaza Community Development Project Area and several other redevelopment items.

Keith Mori explained RDA authority to draw project-area boundaries and noted statutorily required notices will go to other taxing entities. The board considered a resolution to appropriate $214,600 in tax-increment affordable-housing set-aside funds received from redevelopment projects; Mori said the funds will support a northwest Provo affordable-housing project and related property acquisition. Board members asked whether additional redevelopment projects will continue to add to the set-aside fund; staff said the fund will grow as other project areas generate set-aside contributions over time.

On a separate but related item, staff proposed designating a survey area for a city-center community reinvestment project area (a preliminary "circle on a map" to preserve future redevelopment options). Board members debated whether to draw a narrowly focused boundary or a larger downtown area, discussed potential uses including infrastructure and streetscape improvements, and asked staff to return with multiple boundary alternatives. Staff said creating the survey area is a low-cost, nonbinding step that does not commit the agency to specific projects but gives the agency the option to pursue interlocal agreements later if a specific project requires broader taxing-entity cooperation.

The RDA board also voted to close the public meeting for a closed-session discussion of human-litigation matters under state law.

Next steps: staff will present several alternative maps for the city-center survey area, circulate RDA background materials for board review, and proceed with the appropriation and project-closing steps for the approved affordable-housing allocation.