In December, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved an extension of its City Facilities Location Fee Waiver Program, to wide film industry approval.
For five years, the program has aided local filmmakers by waiving facility use fees for productions shot on City-controlled properties like Los Angeles City Hall, City libraries, and law enforcement facilities. Only a handful of City properties are exempt from the waiver. The short list includes the L.A. Convention Center, Olvera Street and the Los Angeles Zoo.
According to City estimates, over the last five years, the City of Los Angeles has waived nearly $1.8 million in use fees through the program. The City Council’s decision to renew the program through 2019 represents an investment in L.A.’s signature industry worth approximately $350,000 per year. Councilmember Paul Krekorian described the waiver as part of a package of improvements that “”will simplify the film permitting process, incentivize filming at city-owned properties and show that Los Angeles is ready to improve the way it does business with the film industry.”
A number of projects continue to benefit from the City’s fee waiver program including Scandal — which frequently shoots at City Hall — as well as Shameless, Bosch, Parks & Rec and Newsroom.
“The City’s facility fee waiver program is a good thing, and a good way to support the local economy” said Location Manager Paul Boydson of the hit series Parks & Rec.
“The waiver convinces the industry that the City is not only serious about keeping local production, it’s actually doing something about it,” Boylston added. “Anything that reduces our costs — helps!”