City Council approves multiple settlements and an $18.5 million housing revenue bond for a 57‑unit project

The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday approved a package of settlements and authorized a housing revenue bond for a 57‑unit multifamily project.

The council voted on several items after the Budget and Finance Committee reported recommendations. The clerk read settlement recommendations into the record for multiple closed‑session cases; council then approved the committee recommendations during a roll call that recorded 13 ayes for the closed‑session items considered that day.

Key settlements and outcomes: the city recorded recommended expenditures to settle several cases that the Budget and Finance Committee reviewed:

- Item 19 (Brandy Menard, et al. v. City of Los Angeles, et al.): recommendation to expend up to $195,000. - Item 20 (Santos Arellano, et al. v. Johnny Charles Wilson, et al.): recommendation to expend up to $325,000. - Item 21 (Bianca Irene Aruci Plasias v. City of Los Angeles, et al.): recommendation to expend up to $575,000. - Item 22 (Jim Potipan v. City of Los Angeles, et al.): recommendation to expend up to $300,000. - Item 23 (Jesus Sandoval, et al. v. City of Los Angeles, et al.): recommendation to expend up to $1,150,000. - Item 24 (Mark Sayeg v. Jesus Carrillo Jr., et al.): recommendation to expend up to $150,000. - Item 25 (Diana Vigil v. City of Los Angeles): recommendation to expend up to $125,000. - Item 26 (Suzanne Carney v. City of Los Angeles, et al.): recommendation to expend up to $826,000. - Item 27 (Elizabeth Greenwood v. City of Los Angeles, et al.): recommendation to expend up to $500,000. - Item 33 (United States of America, ex rel. Meiling and Fair Housing Council of San Fernando Valley v. City of Los Angeles): recommendation to expend up to $129,405.06.

The committee also recommended rejecting certain offers of settlement for items 29, 30 and 31; the council recorded the committee’s recommendations and those items were listed as recommended rejections in the reading.

Housing revenue bonds: During later agenda consideration the council approved item 18, an authorization of housing revenue bonds totaling $18,503,750 to support the new construction of a 57‑unit multifamily project. That item was approved as part of the roll call on items 1, 13 through 15, 17 and 18; the clerk recorded 15 ayes on that vote.

Other actions and committee items: Council held votes on closed session items 28 and 32 separately. Item 28 (TL v. City of Los Angeles) was announced with a recommendation to reject the offer of settlement; the council recorded 15 ayes on the vote to act as presented. For item 32, Councilmember Raman moved to approve the recommendations in the PLUM Committee report; the council recorded 15 ayes on that motion.

Why it matters: the settlements represent the city’s legal exposure being resolved in multiple civil matters, and the housing revenue bond authorization directs public financing toward a 57‑unit multifamily project financed through housing revenue bonds.

Ending: The council concluded its business after acting on the settlements, committee recommendations and the housing revenue bond authorization. Specific implementation steps—for example, the bond issuance schedule or settlement payment timing—were not detailed on the public record at the meeting and will follow departmental procedures.