The Santa Clara City Council voted on a series of measures to channel money from its redevelopment agency straight into city coffers.

Acting assistant city manager Carol McCarthy said the measures are a concerted effort to thwart Gov. Jerry Brown's push to soon do away with redevelopment agencies and use redevelopment money instead to fund schools and other local services.

On Tuesday night, the Santa Clara council voted 6-0 to redirect the money, in the hopes of protecting it and using the millions of dollars each year to fund affordable housing projects and contribute to the 49ers football stadium project that's been in the works for four years.

Many other California cities are rushing to make similar moves to protect their projects.

Under terms of the stadium deal, Santa Clara's redevelopment agency would contribute up to $40 million to the project.

Among other items, the council voted to:

  • Adopt an urgency ordinance amending the redevelopment plan for the stadium area, which allows for the immediate ability to issue bonds.

  • Approve the transfer of redevelopment agency capital improvement projects money to the Stadium Authority.

  • Transfer all non-stadium-related agency capital improvement projects and money to the city.

    Some of the money at issue includes $5.3 million in annual rent generated from California's Great America theme park, $3.6 million

    Advertisement
    in annual rent generated by the Gateway Office Park Project and $500,000 in annual rent generated from the Santa Clara Hilton Hotel.

    A handful of residents spoke on the issue. McCarthy said one was opposed.

    Contact Lisa Fernandez at 408-920-5002.