Board Accepts Bids to Lease 3 Vacant Woodland Hills Schools

Los Angeles school officials have accepted bids to lease three defunct San Fernando Valley campuses in an effort to generate revenue for the financially beleaguered school district.

The three Woodland Hills schools are among five Valley sites made available for lease last month by Los Angeles Unified School District, which faces a budget shortfall of $400 million for the next fiscal year.

A Costa Mesa investment firm’s bid of $65,100 a year--just $100 over the minimum amount set by the district--was approved for Hughes Junior High School by the Board of Education on Monday.

The board also accepted bids by Castlemont School, a private school in Tarzana, and Kadima Hebrew Academy of Woodland Hills for Collier Street and Collins Street schools, respectively. Castlemont offered $56,137.50 and the Kadima academy $51,300 for the sites, more than the required minimum of $45,000.

No bids were received for Enadia Way and Highlander Road schools, two closed elementary campuses in Canoga Park.

The lessees have all been granted five-year agreements that could be renewed for an additional five years, although the district retains the option to terminate the agreement with a one-year notice. Officials had hoped that all five would attract potential lessees for a total yearly income of at least $250,000.