(LOS ANGELES) – Today, City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto announced that her office secured a preliminary injunction against the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA) to prevent the organization from misusing funds GLAZA raised on behalf of the City for the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens (“Zoo”).
The City of Los Angeles (“City”) owns and has been operating the Zoo since it opened in 1966. GLAZA is a nonprofit corporation that was formed in 1963 to assist the City in fundraising and provided other contract services for the Zoo. In December 2024, the City filed suit against GLAZA for breach of contract, breach of its fiduciary duties to the Zoo and the City, breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and conversion (of property), seeking monetary damages and injunctive, declaratory, and other relief.
“We are pleased that the court recognized that GLAZA did not raise funds on its own account or for its own benefit while under contract for the City,” said LA City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto. “As its name implies, the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association was always a fiduciary and agent for the LA Zoo. It’s time for GLAZA to stop trying to keep funds raised for the benefit of and in the name of the City.”
The City maintains that GLAZA violated the contract by: (1) claiming exclusive control over the Zoo’s funds even after the parties’ contract expires; (2) conducting fundraising efforts for GLAZA’s own benefit; (3) refusing to transfer access and control of the Zoo’s data to the City/Zoo; and (4) amending its articles of incorporation in 2024 to serve organizations other than and potentially in competition with the Zoo.
The preliminary injunction prohibits GLAZA from: (1) soliciting donations that are not for the exclusive benefit of the Zoo through the expiration of the contract with the Zoo; (2) soliciting donations for any purpose starting on or after July 1, 2025 using donor or member lists or data originated by GLAZA during the term of the Interim Agreement; (3) using or managing assets from the endowment or any other restricted or unrestricted funds without prior City authorization, except under limited circumstances and (4) diverting funds from the Zoo’s endowment or any other restricted or unrestricted funds to the “GLAZA Restricted” restricted funds. GLAZA has appealed the ruling and the City will vigorously defend the favorable trial court order.
The preliminary injunction will remain in place while the case is pending.
This litigation is being managed by the City Attorney’s Public Rights Branch.
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Hydee Feldstein Soto is the 43rd Los Angeles City Attorney, elected in November 2022 and sworn into office in December 2022. Her team of more than 1,000 legal professionals, including 550 attorneys, carries out legal work for the City of Los Angeles at her direction and under her supervision. She is the first female City Attorney in L.A. history.