A Set Of Notes Taken By One Of The Attendees.pdf

July 10, 2018
Re: CPRA Seminar for Downtown Business Improvement Districts
Rena Leddy convened a meeting with an attorney experienced in the California Public Records Act, attended by 35 people from Downtown BIDs and nearby BIDs.
BIDs operate under contracts with the City of Los Angeles and are considered "public agencies" but not "public entities."
When receiving a CPRA request, BIDs must supply documents and emails related to BID business, and requests must be "focused and specific."
BIDs may withhold records under certain exemptions, redact personal contact information, and are not required to save most emails.
Response to a CPRA request is required within 10 days, but production of the material is not.
The public benefit in non-disclosure may outweigh the public interest in disclosure, and producing a record waives any exemption to produce that record going forward.
Best practices include using BID email addresses only for BID business, segregating exempt material, and maintaining a tight window of retention for documents.
Discoverable BID documents include emails, bank statements, security reports, and attorney invoices and contracts.
Some BIDs are seeking a legislative solution to CPRA issues and have spoken to a State Assemblymember about the situation.
Adrian Riskin and Katherine McNenny are taking actions against BIDs in an attempt to build a case against the City of L.A. Department of Neighborhood Empowerment.