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Financials

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Financials

The Habitat Authority relies on the Treasurer of the County of Los Angeles to act as the Treasurer of the Authority. The Treasurer is designated as the Authority’s depository to have custody of all Habitat Authority funds. The Treasurer complies with the provisions of Government Code Sections 6505 and 6505.5 as those sections may be amended or as similar laws may from time to time provide. Also, in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the Habitat Authority and County Treasurer a specific purpose investment program has been set up to make specific investments at the Habitat Authority’s request. To this end, the Habitat Authority has annually adopted the Los Angeles County Investment Policy.

The Habitat Authority relies on the Auditor/Controller of the County of Los Angeles to act as Controller. The Controller is strictly accountable for all funds and reports all receipts and disbursements. The Controller maintains such funds and accounts as may be required by good accounting practice. Annually the County contracts with consultants to conduct audits.

The Habitat Authority Executive Director oversees all financial aspects of the agency. The Executive Director prepares and manages the working and long-term budgets for the agency with assistance from certified public account (CPA) consultants who specialize in government accounting. These budgets are reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors no less than annually.

Information about the Habitat Authority Budgets, Audits, and Funding is available for review at the tabs below. Information about Funding Options that the Habitat Authority is currently exploring is available by clicking here.

As a condition of approval for the operation of the Puente Hills Landfill, a joint powers authority was formed pursuant to an agreement dated February 15, 1994, between the Los Angeles County Sanitation District No. 2, the County of Los Angeles, and the City of Whittier. The primary objective of this joint powers authority, the Puente Hills Habitat Preservation Authority (Habitat Authority), is to preserve and maintain native habitat in the region near the landfill.

The main source of funding for the Habitat Authority came from a $1.00 per ton of solid waste disposed fee assessed on users of the landfill. Over $64 million in funding was provided to the Habitat Authority from 1994 through 2013 from this fee. After 56 years of operation, the Puente Hills Landfill shut down at end of the business day on October 31, 2013, as promised to the community of Hacienda Heights. Beyond this date, the open space lands will continue to be preserved in perpetuity.

The unique arrangement between the entities that make up the Habitat Authority is a model for other landfill systems that want to give back to communities and protect natural lands while providing necessary services.

The Habitat Authority also obtains funding through a variety of other avenues which continues today. However, these are proving to not be sufficient for the sustainable future of the agency. To learn more, please visit the Funding Options webpage by clicking here.

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