On June 5th, 1990, Wilsonville Mayor John Ludlow signed Ordinance No. 369, declaring blight in Wilsonville. The existence of blight justified the city creating an urban renewal agency and the use of tax increment financing to pay for specified improvement projects.

What previously was synonymous with a 1950s federal program to clean up decaying buildings and neighborhoods, Urban Renewal evolved into a locally-funded tool for cities to solve development problems.

Welcome to Burt’s Blog, where we’ll take deeper dives into the history of Urban Renewal and how it has shaped Wilsonville, Oregon.