On Friday, Los Angeles City Hall felt more like a ghost town than the bustling center of the nation’s second-largest city.
With the halls deserted and an unsettling silence, the parking lots—aside from those for security—sat empty.
During a visit by The California Post, various departments, including the Finance Department and the City Council Liaison Office, were closed, leaving many Angelenos who arrived to pay bills or seek assistance without any help.
City officials noted that this scene is not unusual; it happens every Friday.
About 50 residents, unaware of the closures, showed up only to find locked doors. Among them was small business owner Kayla Wilkenfeld Bronson, who made a long trip from near Los Angeles International Airport. She had hoped to settle her $4,000 tax bill but found herself facing an empty office.
Wilkenfeld-Bronson shared her frustration, saying she checked the website before leaving and noticed no indication that the Treasury Department would be closed.
“This is crazy,” she expressed. “I really didn’t expect the office to shut down. It just doesn’t make sense to drive all this way.” Now, facing a deadline at the end of February, she’ll need to take more time off work to settle her bills—risking her steady paycheck as she tries to start her own sign language business.
Ironic, really, considering the city is looking for ways to boost revenue while having no place for taxpayers to go on that day.
Los Angeles employs around 50,312 individuals across 44 departments, costing about $6.4 billion in personnel expenses. Each department is managed by a general manager, who has the authority to decide employee schedules.
The California Post contacted 40 departments for details about their work-from-home policies. A few that responded, including the Housing Authority and the Department of Finance, confirmed they have “hybrid schedules,” allowing staff to work from home four days a week.
While field staff may report directly, a significant number of administrative employees across departments work off-site.
Wilkenfeld-Bronson noted the stark emptiness of City Hall; it had a supposed operating schedule, yet it felt entirely unreachable. Many offices remained locked, without any staff inside to assist residents.
In light of this situation, City Councilor Monica Rodriguez expressed her concern, asking for an audit of office leases and work-from-home expenses to better understand the financial implications of underutilized spaces.
One frustrated resident, Jennifer Clark, echoed this sentiment, urging for a reassessment of necessary leases and calling for more financial responsibility.
Reports indicated that, despite paying for office leases, the city heavily invested in remote work setups. Redundant expenditures were evident, with costs for basic telework equipment reaching over $1,100 per employee.
As City Hall remains dark, so do many streetlights around the city. The Department of Public Works, when contacted, did not provide insights into their remote work policies either.
City employees indicated that many administrative roles still operate remotely most days, creating challenges for effective city management.
With one in ten streetlights dysfunctional and safety concerns rising, it’s evident that remote work policies have tangible effects on city services. The city has seen a surge in lighting requests, but delays in administrative processes can lead to darkened streets.
Nearby, the Los Angeles Mall faces growing challenges, with one of the few remaining businesses reporting a staggering 90% drop in revenue post-pandemic, attributed to reduced foot traffic from government employees.
The lunchtime rush typically bustling with activity has become a memory, replaced by vacant storefronts and shuttered shops.
As residents approached City Hall on Friday, they encountered a government that was, in theory, open but practically inaccessible. Wilkenfeld-Bronson left frustrated, clutching only a parking receipt, still needing to pay her city dues without a resolution in sight.
One can only wonder when there might be someone available to actually take her payment.
