The History of UCLA's Tiverton House
UCLA Health, a prominent public healthcare system affiliated with the University of California, Los Angeles, has a rich history of serving the community and advancing medical research. This article delves into the history of one of its facilities, the Tiverton House, while also providing context about UCLA Health's broader mission and significant milestones.
UCLA Health: An Overview
UCLA Health is located in Los Angeles, California. It encompasses a network of hospitals, clinics, and research institutions. The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA is an integral part of this system, serving as an accredited medical school that contributes to both patient care and medical advancements.
Key Initiatives and Programs
UCLA Health has launched several important initiatives, including:
Operation Mend: Founded in 2007, this program provides comprehensive treatment to military veterans wounded in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) Program: This program allows residents and fellows to pursue a Ph.D., fostering the development of physician-scientists.
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California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy (CIII): Established to accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into tangible treatments for patients.
Financial Transparency and Growth
A 2013 report by the California State Auditor suggested that the financial transactions from the health system to the medical school, which have grown threefold over the reporting period, deserve more transparency.
Significant Milestones in Medical Advancement
UCLA Health and the David Geffen School of Medicine have been at the forefront of numerous medical breakthroughs:
Tissue-Matching Test: Paul Terasaki developed the tissue-matching test that made organ transplants possible.
Laserphaco: Patricia Bath invented Laserphaco, a device and technique that began the laser era of cataract surgery.
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Liver Transplant Program: UCLA opened the first liver transplant program west of the Mississippi, helmed by Ronald Busuttil.
Bladder Transplant: A historic surgery, the result of years of research, the first human bladder transplant performed at UCLA. The surgery was successfully completed at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center on May 4, 2025.
A Patient-Centered Approach to Medical Education
UCLA School of Medicine launched the “Doctoring” curriculum, which takes a new, patient-centered approach to medical education. Students are introduced to a wide variety of communication skills and psychosocial factors (including substance abuse, domestic violence, and mental health) that play an important role in patient encounters.
Expansion and Development
UCLA Health has continually expanded its facilities and services to meet the growing needs of the community:
Acquisition of West Hills Hospital: In 2024, UCLA Health acquired HCA's West Hills Hospital and Medical Center.
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Acquisition of Westside Pavilion: UCLA closed out 2023 by acquiring L.A.’s former Westside Pavilion, a 700,000-square-foot property located just 2 miles south of the Westwood campus, with the intent to house the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy (CIII) at UCLA and the UCLA Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, as well as programs across the disciplines.
Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference and Guest Center: A seven-story structure that includes 25,000 square feet of meeting space and 250 guest rooms. The facility will enhance civic engagement on campus and allow UCLA to attract important academic conferences and events.
The Tiverton House Controversy
The Tiverton House has been the subject of controversy due to its location and perceived impact on the surrounding neighborhood. Westwood activists have accused UCLA of reneging on its “good neighbor” development policy by planning a 100-room “guest house” on the residential side of Tiverton Avenue for families of its hospital patients.
The facility is proposed for 900-920 Tiverton Ave., across from the UCLA Medical Center. A 10-unit apartment house donated to the university is now at that site.
Area homeowner groups argue that the proposed facility resembles a hotel, leading to increased traffic and congestion in the already crowded area. UCLA, however, maintains that it is not a hotel but a much-needed “Patient Family Guest House” that will provide affordable lodging for people from outside the area who need to be close to the medical center, such as outpatients undergoing tests or treatment, families of patients and visiting medical personnel.
Community Concerns
Laura Lake, president of the homeowners group Friends of Westwood, said she applauds the purpose, but disagrees with UCLA’s claim of compliance with community standards. “It’s flagrantly not in the spirit, the intent or the letter of the local plan,” Lake said. “This is a test of good faith and good will with the community.”
Under the terms of the Westwood Community Plan, the city’s master plan for the Westwood area, the east side of Tiverton is a buffer zone of apartments that separates Westwood Village from single-family residences. The area was downzoned to R-3 for apartments, with the few small hotels that are already operating grandfathered into the new plan.
UCLA's Response
UCLA Community Relations Director Carole Magnuson insisted the proposed building is not a hotel but a much-needed “Patient Family Guest House." She noted that UCLA is exempt from local zoning regulations but prides itself in being a good neighbor by participating in the city planning process and building accordingly. This case is no exception, she said.
Magnuson denies any hidden agenda, noting that a public hearing was held last week on the environmental impact report of the proposed patient guest house. Projects not on the campus were not included in long-range development discussions with the community, she said.
Alternative Suggestions
Neighborhood residents suggest putting the facility in some other part of Westwood or issuing vouchers to make other area hotels affordable to those who need housing near the medical center.
Accusations of Secrecy
Lake and her allies also accuse the university of trying to sneak the Tiverton facility by them. According to Lake and another Westwood homeowner group leader, Sandy Brown, they and others have been quietly meeting with UCLA officials for a year, ostensibly to provide the university with guidance on what neighborhood residents would like--and not like--to see UCLA build.
A mediator was hired by UCLA to conduct the sessions, and participants attended by invitation only. They were asked not to notify the press, and UCLA did not publicize the sessions.
Although the activists gave UCLA credit for following their suggestion and committing a large portion of “Lot 32” to residential uses, they criticized the university for not discussing its more controversial plans, including the Tiverton building.
Looking Ahead
The dispute over the Tiverton facility is likely to be repeated on the other side of Westwood Village as UCLA embarks on an explosion of development on the campus and beyond. Long-range UCLA development plans released this month contain a long-awaited blueprint for “Lot 32,” a 40-acre parcel stretching north from Wilshire Boulevard at Gayley Avenue. The lot is the largest piece of undeveloped land in Westwood.
The university proposes more than 2 million square feet of construction on Lot 32, about half of it consisting of housing for faculty, staff, graduate and postgraduate students such as hospital interns. It also plans a nine-story conference center that would provide short-term housing for participants in campus programs.
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