City Council

(14) 25-1500 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JOBS COMMITTEE REPORT relative to requesting the City Controller to conduct an independent audit of the City’s complete film permitting ecosystem; and related matters. Recommendations for Council action, pursuant to Motion (Nazarian - McOsker): 1. REQUEST the Controller to conduct an independent audit of the City’s complete film permitting ecosystem, including but not limited to: a. Departmental Operations i. Evaluation of departmental staffing constraints— including Los Angeles Police Department Motion Picture Officer availability, Los Angeles Fire Department film inspection capacity, Department of Transportation posting resources, and Public Works and Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP) film staffing—and the extent to which staffing shortages or overtime reliance contribute to delays, inconsistent permit conditions, or increased costs to productions. ii. Assessment of interdepartmental coordination practices, communication gaps, and bottlenecks within the review process. b. FilmLA Contract Performance and Operations i. Review of FilmLA’s operational performance under its contract with the Board of Public Works (BPW), including accuracy of permit processing timelines, turnaround consistency, workflow management, and compliance with contract-required service standards. ii. Examination of FilmLA’s technology systems and permitting platform, including: 1. System reliability and the accuracy of time stamped workflow data. 2. Identification of backend bottlenecks and delays. 3. Analysis of whether FilmLA’s system architecture supports the City’s goals for transparency, speed, and modernization. 4. Recommendations for improvements or integration with City systems. c. Public Transparency i. Assessment of the availability, clarity, and accessibility of public-facing information—including filming fees, permit requirements, turnaround times, neighborhood concentration of filming activity, and departmental responsiveness—and recommendations to improve real-time transparency for productions and residents. d. Structural and Legislative Barriers i. Identification of structural, contractual, or legislative barriers within City departments, Municipal Code provisions, or the FilmLA contract that prevent more efficient, integrated, or predictable permitting processes. Recommendations on where policy or contractual changes would be necessary to achieve the reforms outlined in the Keep Hollywood Home initiative. 2. REQUEST the Controller report findings and recommendations to the City Council and the BPW upon completion of the audit. 3. INSTRUCT the Chief Legislative Analyst (CLA), in partnership with the BPW Film Liaison, the City Administrative Officer (CAO), and FilmLA, to prepare an Annual Keep Hollywood Home Implementation Report summarizing: a. Utilization and fiscal impacts of all fee waivers and pilots (Tier I, micro-shoot, $1 lots, etc.) b. Trends in permit volume and location. c. FilmLA KPI performance. d. Workforce and vendor participation. e. Recommended adjustments to motions and ordinances for Council consideration. Fiscal Impact Statement: Neither the CAO nor the CLA has completed a financial analysis of this report.