PBA backs expanded River District renewal area - Pittsburgh Business Times:

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Sandra McDonough, the alliance’a president and CEO, told the Portlan d City Council on June 17 that the city needs to do everythingh it can to providemore jobs. The council is reconsiderinv expanding the River District by nearly42 acres, as well as increased the amount of bonds the city can assumde to fund projects within the district. The counciol and the Portland Development Commission had first soughtr the expansion nearly two years ago but were thwarteds bya citizens’ group complaint.
The Friend s of Urban Renewal groupl had charged that the River District expansion which would have alsoredirected $20 million in district-generatecd funds to a new East Portland elementary school, didn’g fit technical urban renewal definitions. The councilo will vote on the measurenext week. McDonougy said urban renewal provides fundinbg for investmentsin infrastructure, housing, social services and public-private partnerships. “We need to creater jobs,” she said. “We have an opportunityh to do just that by adopting thesrerevised findings, which address the issues that have been raised abougt the River District expansion.
We can then move forward with the importanyt projects that depend onthes funds.” City Commissioner Nick Fish has said that the construction of a new homelessw services center could depend on urban renewao funds if construction is to beginb this year. McDonough said the alliance backe using urban renewal funds to builxthe center.