AUDIT—City Audits Operations of Westwood Business District

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Responding to complaints of poor service and questions of how money has been disbursed by the Westwood Village Business Improvement District, the Los Angeles City Clerk’s office has conducted an audit of the BID, the first review of an L.A.-area BID since the program was instituted in 1995.

Among the allegations, and the one that many speculated led City Councilman Mike Feuer to request the investigation, is the assertion by owners of the Royal Palace Westwood hotel that four streets within the BID boundaries have not been receiving their share of services.

Karen Kalfayan, head of administrative services in the clerk’s office, confirmed last week that an audit has been completed, but said its findings would not be released until she has reviewed it, which would come in the weeks ahead.

Feuer has been generally supportive of the BID, but said he felt the merchants’ complaints warranted further investigation. “One of the benefits of having the study is to separate factual issues from mere allegations,” the councilman said.

Rochelle Ventura, Feuer’s chief field deputy, said neglected streets and disbursal of money were the two issues considered by the audit, but she would not elaborate.

Mark Beccaria, son of Royal Palace owner John Beccaria, said the BID has not delivered promised maintenance, marketing services or holiday decorations to businesses on Tiverton, Hilgard, Weyburn and LeConte avenues. Some trees have been lighted since the Beccarias complained, he said, but not on all the neglected streets.

“We’ve paid more than $4,500 a year and we’re receiving no services,” Beccaria said. “Others are getting some services, but not as much as they’re contributing.”

BID Executive Director Bob Walsh declined to comment on the audit or the allegations until the results are released.

“There is going to be a real good opportunity for us to respond to issues that are half-accurate and those that are completely inaccurate,” Walsh said.

While acknowledging the audit is a serious matter, Feuer said Westwood Village is not alone in having people skeptical of a BID.

“Is there more smoke than fire?” he said. “I’ll say that with almost every business improvement district in the city there are strong supporters and harsh critics.”

And both those types exist among Westwood Village merchants.

BID board member Dennis Cornwell, owner of ABC Travel-American Express, said he has been pleased with the BID’s efforts to date, and was unaffected when asked whether everyone paying assessments should be getting the same services.

“Do you think that’s possible?” he said. “That’s not possible under any scenario.”

Others were more critical of the BID’s performance. “I don’t see too much benefit,” said Elliott Lewis of Paramount Securities. “It’s a pity we don’t have any book fairs. We don’t have any art shows. We don’t have any music events in Westwood.”

Judy Flax of Flax Artists Materials on Lindbrook Drive is a BID board member. Like Cornwell, she said some people might get lost in the pursuit to uplift the entire district.

“One single person can’t say, ‘I don’t have this, I don’t have that.’ It’s for the overall (benefit of the village),” she said. “It’s the overall picture that makes it so the people in the high-rises want to come into the village.”

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