A report from San Diego’s Auditor says the Center City Development Corporation has been successful in redeveloping downtown. However, KPBS reporter Katie Orr says the report finds there’s room for improvement.
The Auditor’s office says the CCDC has contributed to increasing downtown property values and has increased the stock of affordable housing in the downtown area, but the report finds the organization needs to increase its transparency and tighten its internal controls to help reassure the public that tax dollars are being used responsibly. The audit did not find any evidence of theft, fraud or misuse of funds. But it did recommend more direct oversight of the CCDC. The Auditor is also recommending the CCDC’s management create periodic performance reports that must be approved by the organization’s board and the city’s Redevelopment Agency at least once a year. The CCDC became involved in controversy in 2008 over allegations of a potential conflict of interest.
