State Ruling Puts Sacramento's K Street Revitalization Project on Hold

Several months ago, a project to revitalize the long blighted 700 block of K Street in downtown Sacramento was about to start. Unfortunately, a State Department of Finance decision in June regarding unmet financing deadlines meant the project couldn't move forward. That decision was recently upheld, and the city will sue to have the decision reversed.

The $48 million public/private partnership project; which included housing, boutiques, restaurants and a live music hall; required many different funding sources including the handing over of several city-owned properties and other redevelopment subsidies to the developer. One major disputed issue is whether the City properly secured the project's funding plan and appropriately extended the developer agreement.

“The state is not looking for ways to help cities transition from the days of redevelopment to post-redevelopment,” [City Manager John Shirey] said. “They’re looking to penalize and grab money anywhere they can, and it doesn’t matter that the project is in the state capital in the shadow of the Capitol.”