Though LA’s city council adopted a resolution approving deeding a parcel of city-owned real property to plaintiff, the resolution was not a contract and did not bind the city to convey the property. Instead, the city would be bound only if its charter provisions and administrative code provisions governing city contracts were properly followed. Since discretion was involved in the contracting process, mandate could not be used to compel the city to issue a deed conveying the property as contemplated in the resolution. Also, promissory estoppel cannot be asserted against a public entity to bypass rules that require contracts to be in writing or be put out for bids.