Need for Independent Appraisal in Sale of City-owned Properties

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I sent the following message to the Mayor and City Council today concerning the need for independent appraisal prior to the sale of any City owned properties, including property along the San Leandro shoreline for the proposed Cal Coast development:

I see the City Council has several properties under discussion for transfer/sale in closed session agenda today.

3.A. Closed session pursuant to California Government Code section 54956.8: CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS Property: Alameda County APN 075 0209 001 00 Agency negotiator: Cynthia Battenberg, Community Development Director Negotiating parties: Wells Fargo Bank Under negotiation: Price and Terms of Payment City of San Leandro

3.B. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS Properties: Alameda County APNs 079A 0475 009 04, 079A 0590 001 07, 079A 0590 001 05, 079A 0590 003 00, 079A 0590 002 00, 079A 0590 004 00, 080G 0900 004 01 Agency negotiator: Cynthia Battenberg, Community Development Director Negotiating Parties: Cal-Coast Companies, LLC Under Negotiation: Price and Terms of Payment

Has the City has obtained independent appraisals for the properties in question?

As background, when the City sought to sell the Village Marketplace to David Irmer we did not have an independent appraisal. Staff was resistant to obtaining one and, for a temporary period, so was the majority of the City Council as incredible as that sounds.

Council members Jim Prola and I continued to push for an independent appraisal, which was eventually done. Not surprisingly, following the appraisal, the final price for the Village Marketplace paid to the City/development successor agency was greater than what was initially offered and recommended by staff for the City Council to accept.

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