Community development: economic opportunity.

Existing law generally regulates the power of cities, counties, and cities and counties. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to promote economic development on a local level so that communities can enact local strategies to increase jobs, create economic opportunity, and generate tax revenue for all levels of government. The bill would define economic opportunity to include certain types of agreements, purposes, and projects, and declare that it is the policy of the state to protect and promote the sound development of economic opportunity in cities and counties, and the general welfare of the inhabitants of those communities through the employment of all appropriate means. The bill would state that the creation of economic opportunity and the provisions for appropriate continuing land use and construction policies with respect to property acquired, in whole or in part, for economic opportunity constitute public uses and purposes for which public money may be advanced or expended and private property acquired. The bill would provide that before certain returned city, county, or city and county property is sold or leased for development, the sale or lease shall first be approved by the legislative body, as specified. The bill would authorize a city, county, or city and county to establish a program under which it loans funds to owners or tenants for the purpose of rehabilitating commercial buildings or structures and to assist with the financing of facilities or capital equipment as part of an agreement that provides for the development or rehabilitation of property that will be used for industrial or manufacturing purposes, as specified.