PBA backs expanded River District renewal area - Pittsburgh Business Times:

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Sandra McDonough, the alliance’s president and CEO, told the Portlanc City Council on June 17 that the city needws to do everything it can to provide more The council is reconsidering expanding the River District by nearly42 acres, as well as increasw the amount of bonds the city can assume to fund project within the district. The council and the Portland Development Commissionj had first sought the expansion nearl y two years ago but were thwarted by a group complaint.
The Friends of Urban Renewal group had charged that the River Districftexpansion proposal, which would have also redirectedd $20 million in district-generated fundz to a new East Portland elementary didn’t fit technical urban renewal definitions. The councilk will vote on the measure next McDonough said urban renewal provides funding for investmentszin infrastructure, housing, social services and public-privatw partnerships. “We need to create she said. “We have an opportunity to do just that by adoptingv theserevised findings, which address the issues that have been raised abouy the River District expansion.
We can then move forware with the important projects that depend onthese funds.” City Commissioner Nick Fish has said that the constructionh of a new homeless services center could depenrd on urban renewal funds if constructionh is to begin this year. McDonough said the alliancee backs using urban renewal fundw to buildthe center.