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projects (White House Catering, Sonoma's Restaurant, Tsuru Sushi, Planet Coffee, Nor-Cal Supply and Robert Jones Realty). The process of working with these businesses and property owners to complete high quality projects has been slower than expected. The process, which includes budgeting, design, receiving contractor bids and entering into legal agreements, can take a year to eighteen months. Due to the economic slowdown, many of these projects in the advanced planning, and even pre-construction, phases are being postponed. The following projects which have been designed and are ready for construction have been postponed as property and business owners are reluctant to spend money due to reduced sales and concerns about the future economic situation: • Liberty Tax • DC Dance • Bayfab Metals • Estudillo Center • Eden Center • Wells Fargo Mortgage • Asia DelighdSandwitchery Building • San Gaspar Restaurant • CopyMat In order to see the designed projects through to construction, staff recommends increasing the Agency contribution from 50% of the exterior improvements to 75% for the remainder of FY 2008-09 and FY 2009-10. This change would allow businesses and property owners to move forward these important improvement projects during difficult economic times. Research on facade improvement programs best practices shows that other nearby municipalities' contributions range from 50% to 100% of the project cost. See table below. Other A enc Contributions Emeryville 75% u to $75,000 .Alameda County 100% a to 25,000 and 66% from $25,000 to $80,000 Concord 66% a to $60,000 Oakland 50% a to $20,000 In addition staff recommends streamlining the approval process by increasing the dollar amount the Executive Director can approve from $25,000 to $50,000. Currently any project with an Agency contribution over $25,000 must be reviewed by the Business and Housing Development Committee and approved by the Redevelopment Agency Board. Staff recommends amending this process to allow the Executive Director to approve projects up to $50,000 after the project has been recommended by the Business and Housing Development Committee and reported out to the Redevelopment Agency Board. Current Redevelopment Agency Policy The Redevelopment Agency`s Five Year Implementation Plan specifically includes the Commercial Rehabilitation Program as an economic development program. G:\DEPT\OBD\Files RDA\RDA Loans\Commercial Rehab Program\2007-2008\Facade Improvement Adjustment Staff Report RDA-final.docLast revised on O1/01