The City of Gardena is committed to transparency and providing easy access to public records pursuant to the California Public Records Act (CPRA). The California Public Records Act gives the public the right to access records created and maintained by public agencies in the course of their normal business.

Public Records
Pursuant to Government Code Section 7920.530, a public record is defined as “any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public’s business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics.”

Public records requests may be used to obtain agency records, that were created or obtained by the agency and are, at the time the request is filed, in the agency’s possession and control. The CPRA excludes certain categories of records from disclosure.

How to file a Public Records Act Request
The City of Gardena has a Public Records Portal (NextRequest) that allows anyone to submit a request, correspond with City staff, and track requests online.

To submit your request, click here: Gardena Public Records Request

Information About CPRA Request Submissions
The City is subject to California laws relating to public records. All information contained in a CPRA request, including a requester’s information, is considered public record and may be subject to public inspection, pursuant to Government Code Section 7920.530.

The city has ten (10) days within which to respond to your request unless it decides, unilaterally, to invoke the 14-day extension for one or more of the four reasons which would justify it in Section 7922.535 of the Government Code.

Anonymous Requests
CPRA requests may be made anonymously; however, the City will not be able to provide updates or seek clarification on anonymous CPRA requests. If you submit a request without, contact information, the portal will not allow you to receive updates for your request and you will not be able to log in to access documents. It will be your responsibility to check with the City Clerk’s Office regarding your request. If the City needs clarification on your request in order to respond to your request and you provide no way to contact you, your request may be closed without a response.