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The Joint Project Area Implementation Plan 2010-2014 Draft 3-1-10 Introduction As stated in the original Redevelopment Plan for the Alameda County-City of San Leandro Redevelopment Project Area, the goal of the Project is to: Eliminate or reduce blight and blighted conditions presently existing in the Project Area. Blight and blighted conditions include the following: • Aging and dilapidated buildings • Underutilized land • Inadequate building/property maintenance • Parcels of irregular form and shape • Parcels of inadequate size • Fragmented parcel ownership • Incompatible uses • Lack of adequate public improvements and facilities • Circulation and access problems In the context of California redevelopment, "blight" is a legally defined concept, referring to physical, economic, and social conditions that impair private investment in the Joint Project Area, causing it to be a burden to the larger community. The Joint Area is a unique project area because the temtory consists of land within the jurisdiction of unincorporated Alameda County as well as the City of San Leandro. From 1993 through 2000, the City was the lead agency for activities in the project area. In 2001, the City and County assumed lead agency status for activities within their respective areas, which was memorialized by legislation passed by the State. The City is responsible for the administration of the Joint Area, and the tax increment allocation to each agency is governed by a revenue sharing agreement. Throughout the plan, "Joint Area" refers to the City portion of the project area and "Agency" refers to the San Leandro Redevelopment Agency, unless otherwise specified. While significant progress has been made since the Joint Area's inception in 1993, remaining examples of physical blight includes dilapidated buildings, parcels of inadequate size and/or irregular shape such that they are not economically useful or developable, underutilized and/or poorly maintained lots, incompatible adjacent land uses, and inadequate parking facilities. Examples of economic blight that continue in the Joint Area include commercial vacancies, underutilized property, low commercial lease rates, stagnant commercial property values, and economically obsolete buildings and lots. In addition, along the main artery of East 14th' Street, there exist challenges related to traffic circulation, street lighting, amenities, and overhead utility lines. Bayfair Center remains a central component of the project area, although removed from the Joint Area in 2001 due to an unprecedented plunge in assessed value. As the anchor for the city and county's retail district on East 14th Street as well as the dominant retail center in San Leandro, Bayfair's success is crucial to meeting the goals of the Plan. Bayfair is constrained by poor access to and visibility from the major interstates nearby, particularly I-580 Freeway, which many shoppers use