Los Angeles Unified considers sale or lease of district headquarters

Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner will assess a sale or lease of some district-owned real estate as way to potentially “realize substantial sums of money, which could be better used to provide direct services to students in schools,” Beutner said in a Monday morning update.

The school board authorized the superintendent to evaluate the school district’s headquarters, which is about 900,000 square feet, in addition to 18 acres of land that is currently being used to house some of the district’s school buses. Both are located in downtown Los Angeles.

“Through a combination of remote work and relocation to an office closer to where they live and work, these employees may benefit from shorter commutes, as well as quicker access and closer connection to schools they support,”Beutner said.

After a brief mention of the district’s school-based Covid-19 vaccination sites, Beutner also said that the same “local, school-based approach will be needed in the months ahead when vaccines are proven safe and effective for children.” Vaccinations are needed to reach herd immunity, he said. Schools, he added, will play a critical role if booster shots or seasonal vaccinations are needed.

A system needs to be put in place to provide these safely, reliably and as efficiently as possible,” Beutner said.