Small Business Resources

AGENCY GOALS, ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURE

Goals: Abating blight, generating jobs, creating economic opportunities, and raising revenues that can be used to improve the quality of life for the residents of East Palo Alto.

The City's Redevelopment Agency supports the following activities:

1. Redevelopment Activities: Development projects within the redevelopment area are either initiated or coordinated through the City's Redevelopment Agency. The main functions of the Agency are to eliminate physical blight, expand the City's tax base, create and retain employment for local residents, and improve the City’s physical infrastructure.
2. Economic Development Activities: The City's Economic Development Activities are focused to create a healthy and thriving business environment in East Palo Alto by expanding employment, procurement and small business opportunities for East Palo Alto residents and local businesses, as well as attracting needed goods and services.

Agency Structure: The City of East Palo Alto's Redevelopment Agency is a separate public legal entity from the City. It is governed by the five members of the City Council, with the Vice Mayor serving as Chair of the Agency, and the Mayor as the Vice-Chair.

Agency Members

Carlos Romero, Chair
David Woods, Vice-Chair
Ruben Abrica, Member
Peter Evans, Member
Laura Martinez, Member

The day-to-day administrative functions of the Agency are carried out by the following staff members:

Alvin James, City Manager & Redevelopment Executive Director
Carlos Martínez, Redevelopment Director
Karen Tiedemann, Agency Counsel (Goldfarb & Lipman)
Russell Averhart, Redevelopment Manager
Marie McKenzie, Redevelopment Manager
Sean Charpentier, Redevelopment Project Coordinator
Leticia Garcia, Redevelopment Secretary

Contact Information:

Redevelopment Agency
City of East Palo Alto
1960 Tate Ave.
East Palo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 853-3186