RANCHO CUCAMONGAREDEVELOPMENT AGENCY10500 Civic Center DriveRancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

P.O. Box 807Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91729(877) 5-RANCHO

www.RCRDA.us

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

PRSRT STDU S POSTAGE PAID

PAIDPERMIT NO. 22

Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Rancho Cucamonga Redevelopment Agency • Fall 2009

The Haven Avenue commercial corridor is home toRancho Cucamonga’s premier office destination, describedby Marcus and Millichap as the most “sought after address”for business in the Inland Empire. But driving on HavenAvenue has always been challenging. Today, the more than38,000 cars per day that travel on Haven Avenue are inter-rupted by up to 40 trains that intersect the street at 8th Street.

In November 2008, the Rancho CucamongaRedevelopment Agency began a project to remedy the situa-tion and improve the office corridor for business users andtheir customers as well as residents. Soon, BurlingtonNorthern Santa Fe freight trains carrying goods to and fromthe ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and MetrolinkTrains carrying commuters to andfrom Union Station will pass over theheads of drivers on a new railwaybridge and cars will travel unimpededthrough a vehicular undercrossingfunded by the Redevelopment Agency.

Not only will the project improvethe business environment on HavenAvenue, it is injecting dollars into theCity’s economy during the currenteconomic downturn. Capital improve-ment projects like this one and themore than $100 million in infrastruc-ture improvements planned by theCity and Redevelopment Agency overthe short term (see story inside) areworking to sustain RanchoCucamonga’s economy through localinvestments in the City’s future.

TRACK OUR BUSINESSNEWS WITH FASTTRACK

Readers interested in receiving their Rancho Cucamonga businessnews via email can send us a requestat RDA@cityofrc.us or by calling 1-877-5-RANCHO.

INSIDERANCHO.COMLooking for Inland Empire

industrial, office or retail sites? Just dial up www.INsideRancho.com.INsideRancho.com offers a searchabledatabase of available locations inRancho Cucamonga, complete withparcel information, leasing orpurchase information, maps, anddemographics. It’s point-and-click,user-friendly with an internationallyaward-winning graphic interface.

HAVEN AVENUE GRADE SEPARATIONThe City’s Capital Improvement Division is overseeing

the $28 million Haven Avenue grade separation project andhas set an agressive schedule of 13 months with completionto be some time in the Spring of 2010. When completed,Haven Avenue will be six lanes, three lanes in each direction,plus two bicycle lanes and two sidewalks underneath thenew two-track railroad bridge. The side slope and medianwill be fully landscaped. Two lanes remain open during busi-ness hours for area traffic during construction. A special fea-ture of the new bridge will be concrete medallions of theCity’s unique “grapes” logo on the arches of the bridgeabove the undercrossing.

continued from page 3…

DONALD J. KURTH, M.D.MAYOR

L. DENNIS MICHAELMAYOR PRO TEM

REX GUTIERREZCOUNCIL MEMBER

DIANE WILLIAMSCOUNCIL MEMBER

SAM SPAGNOLOCOUNCIL MEMBER

The Frontier Project will be a leading edge business and communityresource for Rancho Cucamonga as it pursues its goals of sustainability.Designed to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest rating, Platinum,through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ratingsystem, the new building will open November 1, 2009.

The 14,000 square foot demonstration building features a demonstrationgallery of sustainable systems and technologies available today and underdevelopment for the future. The 80-person conference space and office spacesports a green roof system comprised of soil and drought tolerant plants.Photovoltaic cells help power the building. A cooling tower and solar chim-neys use convection to heat and cool the interior. A north-facing glass wallprovides light and reduces the need for interior electrical lights. Recycledbuilding materials are also used in construction.

The site has a low water use demon-stration garden and a cistern collects andreuses water onsite. The project has a waterefficiency rating of 50% or more and usestechnologies to reduce storm water run off.

Even though the project hasn’topened its doors yet, the American Instituteof Architects (AIA) Inland CaliforniaChapter, the U.S. Green Building Council

FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY APPLICATIONSAs well as jump-starting the local economy with local projects, Rancho Cucamonga is actively pursuing federal stimulus

funds. The good news is that the City has been successful in several of these efforts and results of other applications are pending. Successful:• $2.5 million in Highway Infrastructure (FHWA) for construction and extension of Wilson Avenue.• $2.1 million for Neighborhood Stabalization Program Part I for a First-Time Homebuyer Program.

Pending:• $5 million from the Federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program to purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed

homes to make them available for sale to first-time homebuyers.• $275,000 in Community Development Block Grant Funding to replace aging public improvements in an

income-eligible neighborhood.• $1.6 million for energy efficiency improvements to public buildings and a “green” home loan program for

homeowners can improve energy efficiency.• $175,000 for crime prevention under the Justice Assistance Program.

FIRST LEED PLATINUM BUILDING IN CITYOPENS NOVEMBER 7

Business Spotlight

LOCAL PROJECTS STIMULATE RANCHO CUCAMONGA ECONOMY

Inland Empire Chapter, and the Green Institute for Village Empowerment haveall recognized the project with awards in 2008.

The project is run by the non-profit Frontier Project Foundation and wasborn out of a desire to meet the challenges facing founding partner CucamongaValley Water District. The City of Rancho Cucamonga is one of the project part-ners. HMC Architects is the project designer.

The opening of the Frontier Project will becelebrated November 7, 2009 at 10440 AshfordStreet, Rancho Cucamonga with an event that runsfrom 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information call(909) 483-7484.

A key part of the City’s Fire Strategic Plan is underway withthe construction of the Hellman Avenue Fire Station. The projectwill construct a $4 million dollar fire station to serve the northwestportion of the City.

“We have been looking for a site for this fire station for a longtime,” comments Fire Chief Peter Bryan. “When we set the 4minute travel time goal as a part of the Strategic Plan in 2005, weunderstood that we would have to have a facility in this area, butwe could never find a property. Then San Bernardino CountyFlood Control District declared a flood control basin in the areasurplus after it completed new flood control facilities. We were ableto obtain that property and move forward.”

The project was also facilitated by the availability of stock-piled fill dirt that was the result of flooding and mudflows follow-ing the Grand Prix fire in 2003. The flood control basin obtainedfrom the County has been filled with more than 100,000 cubicyards of fill dirt moved to the site last July and August. Once thework of compacting the dirt is complete, construction can begin.“This is really a win-win for the City and for the County,” saysChief Bryan. “The City must pay to move the dirt but does nothave to buy clean fill dirt. The County has its excess dirt removedat no cost.”

The $4 million project will be a one-story design suitable forthe residential character of the neighborhood. The 6,000 squarefoot facility will house a paramedic engine unit manned full timeand a reserve unit for fighting wild land brush fires.

CITY AND REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ADOPT STIMULUS PROGRAMThe Rancho Cucamonga City Council and Redevelopment Agency have adopted a local eco-

nomic stimulus program based on a three-pronged strategy of innovative incentives for new devel-opment, capital improvements, and an aggressive program to reduce inventories of foreclosedhomes. The City’s proactive approach lays the groundwork for quick starting an economic recov-ery in the local market while protecting the local economy as much as possible in the short term.

Development IncentivesThe City of Rancho Cucamonga partnered in cooperation with the Building Industry

Association to develop an ordinance which is the heart of the City’s set of incentives designed tocreate a climate where developers can invest in new projects and succeed. Residential developersthat file for building and grading permits can receive a one-time extension of their permit dead-lines for up to two years. Extending permits deadlines allows developers more time to receive pro-ject financing without facing a situation where expiring permits might mean starting a project overand costly modifications to update plans if codes have been updated or changed in the interim.

Ordinance 802 also provides for deferral of development impact fees for drainage, trans-portation, parks, and beautification. Formerly, these fees were due when developers pulled permits,long before they realized any return on investment. Ordinance 802 allows for deferral of fees untilthe project final inspection, issuance of a certificate of occupancy, close of escrow on a sale, or oneyear, whichever comes first.

Patrick Diaz of Bella Victoria LP is building 50 homes in multiple phases in the north eastsector of the City. “It was definitely a benefit to be able to participate in this program for phasetwo of our project,” comments Diaz. “The City has been more than accommodating to work withthrough the entire process, from setting up the deferral to releasing it at the end.” Diaz was assist-ed by being allowed to spread his permit fees out over time, instead of having to pay the moneyupfront. He is building his project in phases and selling each one as he moves to the next in orderto protect cash flow. His first phase of four homes has sold and he has already sold three of thefive phase two homes. “I have already set up a defrerral agreement for phase three and we shouldbe ready to move forward in about 30 days,” he adds.

Going forward, the City has decided to modify its policy on collecting drainage fees permanently. These fees were formerly collected when a tract map was recorded. While Ordinance802 is in effect, the fees are deferred as described above. Eventually, after the Ordinance sunsets,these drainage fees will still be deferred somewhat, and be collected when a developer pulls build-ing permits.

Capital ImprovementsThe City and Redevelopment Agency are implementing a wide range of public infrastructure

and facility improvement projects to create jobs and inject dollars into the local economy. The Agency and City will spend approximately $100 million for this program. Traditional

multipliers for infrastructure investment show that an investment of this scale can directly createapproximately 3,500 jobs and indirectly result in another 2,600 jobs in other sectors. For each dol-lar spent, another 97 cents in induced and indirect spending may occur.

Near term projects include the Haven Avenue grade separation (see story page one), theHellman Fire Station, and completion of the last segment of the Pacific Electric Trail. Late 2009will bring a major storm drain project to Hellman Avenue and 2010 will see q new public safetysubstation, an office headquarters facility for Public Works, and a new Fire Department headquar-ters on land adjacent to the Civic Center the City already owns.

continued on back page…

The Rancho Cucamonga Redevelopment Agency is at work stimulatingthe local economy by underwriting new residential construction and to meet thegrowing demand for rental housing in the community for its workforce and forfamilies that have been affected by the foreclosure crisis.

Two projects underway, Villagio on Route 66 and San Sevaine Villas, nowrepresent an almost $68 million investment of Redevelopment Agency housingfunds. These quality developments not only provide housing at reasonablerental rates for the local workforce, they also create jobs in the construction sector.

Reducing Housing Inventories

The City of Rancho Cucamonga is also a partner another FoothillBoulevard housing project. Everything about San Sevaine Villas speaks to thequality and thoughtfulness of the design. The Tuscan-Mediteranean ambiance,the recreational amenities, and the environmentally-sustainable project featuresare typical of upscale rental communities in the foothill communities of southern California.

The surprise that awaits those who find out about San Sevaine Villas isthat these one-, two-, and three-bedroom units are affordable housing beingdeveloped by the Northtown Housing Development Corporation.

“Five years ago, we did a survey of the City, looking for a parcel,” explainsformer Northtown Board President and current member of the Board ofDirectors Nacho Garcia. “We looked at several parcels, but this one was the best.

The $59.16 million San Sevaine Villas project is funded by a combinationof the Redevelopment Agency’s investment of $40.45 million, low incomehousing tax credit equity of $11.45 million, and $5.94 million from theCalifornia Community Reinvestment Corporation. Another $1.32 million isbeing contributed through a combination of Southern California Edisonrebates, refund of property taxes during construction, and deferral of interest onthe Redevelopment Agency loan.

The anticipated completion date is Spring 2011. Those eligible to applyfor housing at San Sevaine Villas are earning below the average median income

for the Rancho Cucamonga area—a range of $21,700 to $55,800 fora family of four.

Each unit of the smoke-freeproject has washer and dryer hookups and a covered patio or balcony outdoor space. The 9,000 square foot com-munity building has a multi-purpose room with kitchen, a business center, andexercise room, and staff offices. Photovoltaic cells generate a portion of the elec-tricity for the common areas and community building. The recreation areasinclude a pool, a children’s wading pool, three tot lots—or children’s play-grounds, an open lawn area, picnic area per-golas, and an area of vineyard plantings thatrecalls Rancho Cucamonga’s history as agrape growing and wine region.

HELLMAN FIRE STATIONUNDERWAY

FOOTHILL BOULEVARD HOUSING INVESTMENTS

The $45 million Villaggio onRoute 66 project is fundedthrough a $27.5 millioninvestment by the RanchoCucamonga RedevelopmentAgency in partnership with adeveloper who is investing thebalance. The project is opening inphases and is expected to becomplete in 2010.

Rancho Workforce HousingLP, a joint venture of the non-profit National CommunityRenaissance and WorkforceHomebuilders, LLC, constructedthe project on 10.5 acres onFoothill Boulevard, Rancho

Cucamonga’s stretch of the famed Mother Road, giving rise to the project’sname. The attractive one-, two-, and three-story buildings will offer affordableliving to City residents that include administrative professionals, teachers,retail managers, and recent college graduates that otherwise might havetrouble affording today’s higher rental rates and be unable to purchase a homein the City where they work.

Tony Mize President of WorkforceHomebuilders, LLC is excited about theopening of his new 166-unit project inRancho Cucamonga. “This project has been3 1/2 years in the making and we’re movingthe first families in now. I’ve been in thehousing business most of my career and Igravitated to multi-family housing and then workforce housing. It’s verysatisfying to build these homes.”

“Until very recently, the rapidly increasing cost of home ownershiplocked people out of the market,” explains Mize. “We put this project in theheart of the City, right near the retail corridor on Foothill and the officecorridor on Haven. That’s where most of our residents will work. Puttinghousing close to jobs means less driving, cleaner air, and saving money. It’sgood for everybody.”

The Foothill Boulevard profile of the project is three stories with theheight decreasing as the project moves toward the residential area to thenorth. There is a 5,600 square foot community building with a businesscenter, laundry room, fitness center, and living room area.

The first 48 of the units have been released for occupancy and the restare spoken for by families that will be selected from among the 1,300 whoindicated interest. “This project marketed itself,” says Mize. “All we had to dowas put up a banner on along Foothill Boulevard.”

VILLAGGIO ON ROUTE 66

SAN SEVAINE VILLAS

Bank-owned homes are the target of RanchoCucamonga’s first-time homebuyer program. Byputting first-time buyers into bank-owned homes,the City can assist more homebuyers and reducethe inventory of empty houses more quickly. Thenew homeowners get a bargain and a mortgagethey can manage.

In 2008-2009, the City increased its invest-ment in first-time homebuyer assistance from $1million to $2.66 million and those funds are fullyallocated. In 2009-2010, the City obtained Federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds toboost the funds available and will be able to offer more than $3 million in down payment assis-tance for these first-time homebuyers.

LOCAL PROJECTS STIMULATE RANCHO CUCAMONGA ECONOMY

Construction pushes forward on Hellman Fire Station

Rendering of the San Sevaine Villasdesigned by Pitassi Architects

RANCHO CUCAMONGAREDEVELOPMENT AGENCY10500 Civic Center DriveRancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

P.O. Box 807Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91729(877) 5-RANCHO

www.RCRDA.us

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

PRSRT STDU S POSTAGE PAID

PAIDPERMIT NO. 22

Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Rancho Cucamonga Redevelopment Agency • Fall 2009

The Haven Avenue commercial corridor is home toRancho Cucamonga’s premier office destination, describedby Marcus and Millichap as the most “sought after address”for business in the Inland Empire. But driving on HavenAvenue has always been challenging. Today, the more than38,000 cars per day that travel on Haven Avenue are inter-rupted by up to 40 trains that intersect the street at 8th Street.

In November 2008, the Rancho CucamongaRedevelopment Agency began a project to remedy the situa-tion and improve the office corridor for business users andtheir customers as well as residents. Soon, BurlingtonNorthern Santa Fe freight trains carrying goods to and fromthe ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and MetrolinkTrains carrying commuters to andfrom Union Station will pass over theheads of drivers on a new railwaybridge and cars will travel unimpededthrough a vehicular undercrossingfunded by the Redevelopment Agency.

Not only will the project improvethe business environment on HavenAvenue, it is injecting dollars into theCity’s economy during the currenteconomic downturn. Capital improve-ment projects like this one and themore than $100 million in infrastruc-ture improvements planned by theCity and Redevelopment Agency overthe short term (see story inside) areworking to sustain RanchoCucamonga’s economy through localinvestments in the City’s future.

TRACK OUR BUSINESSNEWS WITH FASTTRACK

Readers interested in receiving their Rancho Cucamonga businessnews via email can send us a requestat RDA@cityofrc.us or by calling 1-877-5-RANCHO.

INSIDERANCHO.COMLooking for Inland Empire

industrial, office or retail sites? Just dial up www.INsideRancho.com.INsideRancho.com offers a searchabledatabase of available locations inRancho Cucamonga, complete withparcel information, leasing orpurchase information, maps, anddemographics. It’s point-and-click,user-friendly with an internationallyaward-winning graphic interface.

HAVEN AVENUE GRADE SEPARATIONThe City’s Capital Improvement Division is overseeing

the $28 million Haven Avenue grade separation project andhas set an agressive schedule of 13 months with completionto be some time in the Spring of 2010. When completed,Haven Avenue will be six lanes, three lanes in each direction,plus two bicycle lanes and two sidewalks underneath thenew two-track railroad bridge. The side slope and medianwill be fully landscaped. Two lanes remain open during busi-ness hours for area traffic during construction. A special fea-ture of the new bridge will be concrete medallions of theCity’s unique “grapes” logo on the arches of the bridgeabove the undercrossing.

continued from page 3…

DONALD J. KURTH, M.D.MAYOR

L. DENNIS MICHAELMAYOR PRO TEM

REX GUTIERREZCOUNCIL MEMBER

DIANE WILLIAMSCOUNCIL MEMBER

SAM SPAGNOLOCOUNCIL MEMBER

The Frontier Project will be a leading edge business and communityresource for Rancho Cucamonga as it pursues its goals of sustainability.Designed to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest rating, Platinum,through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ratingsystem, the new building will open November 1, 2009.

The 14,000 square foot demonstration building features a demonstrationgallery of sustainable systems and technologies available today and underdevelopment for the future. The 80-person conference space and office spacesports a green roof system comprised of soil and drought tolerant plants.Photovoltaic cells help power the building. A cooling tower and solar chim-neys use convection to heat and cool the interior. A north-facing glass wallprovides light and reduces the need for interior electrical lights. Recycledbuilding materials are also used in construction.

The site has a low water use demon-stration garden and a cistern collects andreuses water onsite. The project has a waterefficiency rating of 50% or more and usestechnologies to reduce storm water run off.

Even though the project hasn’topened its doors yet, the American Instituteof Architects (AIA) Inland CaliforniaChapter, the U.S. Green Building Council

FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY APPLICATIONSAs well as jump-starting the local economy with local projects, Rancho Cucamonga is actively pursuing federal stimulus

funds. The good news is that the City has been successful in several of these efforts and results of other applications are pending. Successful:• $2.5 million in Highway Infrastructure (FHWA) for construction and extension of Wilson Avenue.• $2.1 million for Neighborhood Stabalization Program Part I for a First-Time Homebuyer Program.

Pending:• $5 million from the Federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program to purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed

homes to make them available for sale to first-time homebuyers.• $275,000 in Community Development Block Grant Funding to replace aging public improvements in an

income-eligible neighborhood.• $1.6 million for energy efficiency improvements to public buildings and a “green” home loan program for

homeowners can improve energy efficiency.• $175,000 for crime prevention under the Justice Assistance Program.

FIRST LEED PLATINUM BUILDING IN CITYOPENS NOVEMBER 7

Business Spotlight

LOCAL PROJECTS STIMULATE RANCHO CUCAMONGA ECONOMY

Inland Empire Chapter, and the Green Institute for Village Empowerment haveall recognized the project with awards in 2008.

The project is run by the non-profit Frontier Project Foundation and wasborn out of a desire to meet the challenges facing founding partner CucamongaValley Water District. The City of Rancho Cucamonga is one of the project part-ners. HMC Architects is the project designer.

The opening of the Frontier Project will becelebrated November 7, 2009 at 10440 AshfordStreet, Rancho Cucamonga with an event that runsfrom 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information call(909) 483-7484.