L.A. Community College District halts student housing bid amid alleged procurement irregularities
The L.A. Community College District cancelled its student-housing procurement after a losing developer claimed the scoring system was altered months after proposals were submitted.
Developers submitted proposals in March to build hundreds of beds at Pierce College and Los Angeles City College, with the district planning to use up to $150 million of Measure LA bond funds. After the bids were in, the district altered its scoring rubric, allowing Chancellor Alberto J. Román to rank CTI Housing highest and advise the Board of Trustees to begin negotiations. Michaels Student Living, through Paul Hastings lawyer Benjamin Hanelin, lodged a formal protest citing violations of the legal requirement for fair and equitable public bids.
In response, the L.A. Community College District cancelled the entire Request for Qualifications and Proposals process, citing an “abundance of caution,” and announced a fresh competition. The controversy also highlighted political contributions from CTI partners Dan Weinstein and Stuart Liner to board members Sara Hernandez and Andra Hoffman, though the donations fell outside the statutory conflict-of-interest window.
Why it matters
The cancellation raises concerns about transparency in public procurement and potential political influence over student-housing projects.
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