PBA backs expanded River District renewal area - Business First of Columbus:

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Sandra McDonough, the alliance’s president and CEO, told the Portlandx City Council on June 17 that the city needds to do everything it can to provide more The council is reconsidering expanding the River District by nearly42 acres, as well as increasee the amount of bonds the city can assumr to fund projects withibn the district. The council and the Portlanr Development Commission had first sought the expansio n nearly two years ago but were thwarte bya citizens’ group The Friends of Urban Renewal group had charge that the River District expansion proposal, whicgh would have also redirectecd $20 million in district-generated funds to a new East Portlane elementary school, didn’t fit technical urbah renewal definitions.
The council will vote on the measurwnext week. McDonough said urban renewap provides funding for investmentsin housing, social services and public-private “We need to create jobs,” she said. “Wde have an opportunity to do just that by adoptingt theserevised findings, which address the issuee that have been raised about the River Districtf expansion. We can then move forward with the importang projects that depend onthesed funds.” City Commissioner Nick Fish has said that the construction of a new homelesx services center could depend on urban renewal funds if construction is to begin this year.
McDonough said the alliancwe backs using urban renewal funds to buildthe