Ronda Perez sues Malibu more than a year after city manager candidacy was withdrawn

By The Malibu Times · Thu Oct 15 2026

Ronda Perez, whose announced appointment as Malibu city manager did not move forward last year, has filed a lawsuit naming the cities of Malibu and Palmdale and Andrea Alarcon as defendants. The Malibu City Council met in closed session Monday, Oct. 12, to discuss the litigation and returned with no reportable action. The council’s agenda identified the matter as Perez v. City of Malibu, Los Angeles County Superior Court case No. 26STCV26814.

According to the court’s public case portal, Perez filed the lawsuit Aug. 24 at Stanley Mosk Courthouse. The court classifies the matter as “Other Breach of Contract/Warranty,” a category that does not identify every claim or allegation contained in the complaint.

The complaint was not available for review through the court portal during preparation of this report. Perez’s specific allegations, the basis for naming each defendant and the damages she seeks therefore could not be independently verified.

The lawsuit follows a city manager recruitment process that drew public scrutiny in summer 2025.

On July 30, 2025, Malibu announced that the council had unanimously approved appointing Perez, with an anticipated start date of Aug. 25. The announcement described her experience as city manager of Palmdale and assistant city manager of Lancaster and included a statement from Perez expressing enthusiasm about helping Malibu recover and rebuild.

However, the council’s July 30 meeting minutes recorded an important condition: Perez’s appointment depended on approval of an employment agreement at a public meeting. The agreement was expected to be presented Aug. 11, 2025.

The appointment did not proceed as announced. As The Malibu Times reported at the time, councilmembers held repeated closed sessions concerning the city manager position amid questions about Perez’s prior municipal employment. Those sessions ended without reportable action.

On Aug. 25, 2025, the city publicly announced that it had been informed Perez had withdrawn her candidacy. The council’s minutes stated that Malibu would consider other applicants and expand its search. An Aug. 27 city announcement repeated that Perez had withdrawn and said Candace Bond would continue as interim city manager.

Whether Perez disputes that account, or alleges that the recruitment process created enforceable obligations, could not be determined without reviewing her complaint.

The court portal lists a case management conference for Dec. 28 at 8:30 a.m. in Department 318 at Stanley Mosk Courthouse. A hearing on a demurrer, without a motion to strike, is scheduled for April 12, 2027, at the same time and location.

The available scheduling information does not identify which defendant brought the demurrer or the grounds for challenging the complaint. No ruling on the merits was established by the records reviewed.