City Tech Official Resigns Amid Husband's Dispute With DWP Over Unpaid Rent on NoHo Business

The general manager of the city's Information Technology Agency, which runs the 911 system and oversees the city's websites and other digital infrastructure, submitted her resignation late today.

Randi Levin's resignation, submitted to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa this afternoon, comes after a series of incidents involving Levin and her husband, Maurice Levin, who runs the Jurassic Garden plant nursery at 11801 Stagg St. North Hollywood and leases land from the Department of Water and Power.

Randi Levin could not be reached for comment. (See her in the attached YouTube video from the 2009 City of Los Angeles Technology & Education Summit.)

News broke this week that Maurice Levin is in the middle of a dispute with the Department of Water and Power over nearly $60,000 in rent he owes the utility, according to CBS2.

"As I understand it, there's an ongoing business dispute between Mr. Levin and the Department of Water and Power. It's being resolved in a matter that all such disputes normally are," Villaraigosa said during a news conference on Wednesday.

"DWP is taking the necessary measures to recover what it is owed. And since litigation is likely to be involved, I can't comment any further."

Randi Levin was also accused of impropriety in April after making a direct call to Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck seeking help to get her husband's car out of a police impound lot. See more:

CBS2 reported in April that Maurice Levin's car was impounded after he was caught running a red light and driving with an expired license plate. Randi Levin called Beck directly and the car was soon removed from the impound lot and the city covered the $325 impound fee.

Randi Levin's department also played a role in a failure of the city's 911 system in April that required police dispatchers to manually route calls to relevant police divisions to dispatch officers.

In a statement, Villaraigosa said he asked Randi Levin to stay on for 30 days as general manager and 60 days on contract to develop a long-term strategic plan that will "preserve and enhance our digital infrastructure."     

"Given her working knowledge and experience, the critical role IT plays with regard to public safety, and the ability of technology to save the city resources, this is a unique opportunity to obtain a long-term technology vision for Los Angeles," Villaraigosa said.

"It will allow the city to continue to provide a high level of service to the people of Los Angeles as we conduct a search for the next ITA GM."