C.U.R.E. is a coalition of citizen groups networking with others all over California. We are a nonpartisan multi-cultural coalition of volunteers coming together with the purpose of sharing, educating and finding solutions to redevelopment abuses. The coalition started with fifteen concerned citizens in April 1996. At the first formal meeting June 8, 1996, we adopted the name Californians United for Redevelopment Education, with eighty people in attendance. Each meeting, held every two months, adds about thirty-five new names to the mailing list, now close to nine hundred and growing.

In conjunction with Municipal Officials for Redevelopment Reform (M.O.R.R.) we organized three state-wide Citizens Conferences on redevelopment Abuse. The first conference was held in San Jose, rightly labeled the Mother of all R.D.A.s with the largest agency total indebtedness of $2,140,608,058* in the state. Ontario in Southern California was the location of our second conference in April of 1997. Senators Richard Mountjoy, and Tim Leslie were speakers along with Assemblymen Bernie Richter and Tom McClintock. McClintock previewed AB 923 for the dinner crowd. The very successful third conference held October 11, 1997 in San Francisco was well attended by elected officials from all parts of the state including four Mayors and four City Managers. Senator Kopp's Chief of Staff, Jackie Landsman, addressed the participants as did Dr. Kirk Hutson, Chief of Staff for Assemblyman Tom McClintock. Syndicated columnist Dan Walters of The Sacramento Bee gave his overview of redevelopment and some of the most egregious projects right across from the Capital building. The Southern California Riverside Press-Enterprise reporter, David Danelski asked many questions of participants for his research project on redevelopment abuse.

In 1993 the little city of South Gate proposed to expand Redevelopment to all commercial areas of the city. Jean Heinl worked with other business owners to stop the expansion.

In 1995 after participating in three Senate hearings and 2 joint interim hearings, Jean and others formed Californians United for Redevelopment Education (C.U.R.E.) to work closely with Municipal Officials for Redevelopment Reform (M.O.R.R.) to educate citizens about Redevelopment through newsletters, local meetings and work with legislators to introduce legislation to end the corporate welfare Redevelopment has become.

* State Controller's Report 1995-1996

Jean Heinl, Director/Founder C.U.R.E.
8917 Alexander Ave., South Gate, CA 90280
Ph. 213-567-6737 Fax 213-567-7545

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