MOTION -- In recent years, several city officials faced federal criminal indictments for accepting cash and large gifts from people who were illegally trying to influence the city’s land use and development process. Actual and perceived corruption erodes the public’s trust in local government and complicates efforts to tackle our housing crisis and to encourage investment and jobs creation. Los Angeles must build stronger accountability and safeguards into our city’s land use and development services process.
An Office of Inspector General, focused specifically on land use, development, and construction services, is a potential tool that is missing from our municipal arsenal, though there are successful models in other jurisdictions. LA Metro has an Office of Inspector General specifically focused on waste, fraud, and abuse regarding the transit agency’s procurements and development projects. Chicago’s Office of the Inspector General may independently start investigations and issue subpoenas. New York’s Department of Investigations conducts audits, with an Inspector General who has statutory qualification requirements. Other cities such as Houston, Philadelphia, and Jacksonville also have their own Offices of Inspectors General. The City of Los Angeles should follow suit. An earlier instruction from the Council, CF 20-0608, charged the Chief Legislative Analyst with studying this task. That analysis has yet to commence and is better suited to be led by the Ethics Commission, given its technical expertise and the public review process inherent in the Commission’s structure.
I THEREFORE MOVE that the Ethics Commission, with the assistance of the Planning Department, Department of Building and Safety, Bureau of Engineering, Chief Legislative Analyst, and City Attorney, be instructed to report back on best practices and recommendations for the development, implementation, structure, budget, and operation of an independent auditors/investigators office to provide focused oversight and monitoring of land use, development, and construction services in the City of Los Angeles, including potential amendments to the Los Angeles Municipal Code, Administrative Code, and City Charter.