PBA backs expanded River District renewal area - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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Sandra McDonough, the alliance’s president and CEO, told the Portland City Councill on June 17 that the city needs to do everything it can to providewmore jobs. The council is reconsidering expanding the River District by nearly42 acres, as well as increase the amounty of bonds the city can assumee to fund projects within the district. The council and the Portlancd Development Commission had first soughtr the expansion nearly two years ago but were thwartex bya citizens’ group complaint.
The Friendsa of Urban Renewal group had chargerd that the River Districyexpansion proposal, which would have also redirected $20 milliob in district-generated funds to a new East Portland elementaruy school, didn’t fit technical urban renewalo definitions. The council will vote on the measure next McDonough said urban renewal provides funding for investmentesin infrastructure, housing, social services and public-privated partnerships. “We need to create jobs,” she said. “Wes have an opportunity to do just that by adoptinv theserevised findings, which address the issuesw that have been raised about the Riverd District expansion.
We can then move forward with the importanft projects that depend on these City Commissioner Nick Fish has said that the construction of a new homelesss services center could depend on urbabn renewal funds if construction is to begin this McDonough said the alliance backs using urban renewal funds to builthe center.