Los Angeles's 7th City Council district
Government
 • Councilmember. Monica Rodriguez
. D–Mission Hills
Population
 (2020)
 • Total268,710
Demographics
 • White22.3%
 • Asian6.3%
 • Hispanic22.3%
 • Black3.1%
 • Other0.3%
Websitecouncildistrict7.lacity.gov
Registered voters (2017) 124,771

Los Angeles's 7th City Council district is one of the fifteen districts in the Los Angeles City Council. It is currently represented by Democrat Monica Rodriguez since 2017 after winning an election to succeed Felipe Fuentes, who resigned the year prior.

The district was created in 1925 after a new city charter was passed, which replaced the former "at large" voting system for a nine-member council with a district system with a 15-member council. At its creation, the 7th district was situated south of Downtown Los Angeles. It was moved to the San Fernando Valley in 1956.[1]

Geography

The 7th district includes the neighborhoods of Sylmar, Mission Hills, Pacoima, Sunland-Tujunga, Lake View Terrace, Shadow Hills, La Tuna Canyon, and the northern portion of North Hills East.[2]

The district overlaps California's 29th congressional district and California's 30th congressional district, is completely within California's 20th State Senate district, and overlaps California's 43rd State Assembly district and California's 44th State Assembly district.

Historical boundaries

At its creation, it was bounded on the north by Jefferson Boulevard, on the south by Slauson Boulevard, on the west by Vermont Avenue and on the east by South Park Avenue.[3][4] In 1928, it expanded to include Exposition Park and Vermont Square.[5] In 1933, it was bounded on the east by Alameda Avenue, on the west by Crenshaw Boulevard, on the north by Exposition Boulevard and on the south by Vernon Avenue.[6][7] By 1937, it was bounded on the west by Crenshaw Boulevard, on the north by Exposition Boulevard, on the east by the city boundary with Vernon and on the south by Vernon Avenue.[8][9]

By 1947, it was noted that nearly 50% of the district's population was African-American. In 1956, after incumbent councilman Don A. Allen's election to the California State Assembly, the City Council decided that the district would be moved to the San Fernando Valley.[1] In 1961, it included the neighborhoods of Van Nuys, Sepulveda, Granada Hills and Sylmar.[10] In 1986, it included Panorama City, part of Sun Valley and Sylmar.[11] By 1993, it had a population that consisted of 70% Latinos and 19% African-Americans council that covered "much of the northeast Valley", encompassing "one of Los Angeles's poorest areas" and containing "the shuttered General Motors plant in Van Nuys as well as Blythe Street in Panorama City, one of the Valley's most drug-infested areas until a police crackdown."[12]

List of members representing the district

1889–1909

Councilmember Party Years Electoral history
Single-member ward established February 25, 1889

J. T. Brown
(Boyle Heights)		 Republican February 25, 1889 –
December 5, 1890		 Elected in 1889.
[data missing]

Daniel M. McGarry
(Downtown)		 Democratic December 5, 1890 –
December 5, 1892		 Elected in 1890.
[data missing]

Thomas Strohm
(East Hollywood)		 Republican December 5, 1892 –
December 12, 1894		 Elected in 1892.
[data missing]

James Ashman
(South Central)		 Democratic December 12, 1894 –
December 16, 1896		 Elected in 1894.
[data missing]

Benjamin S. Lauder
(Highland Park)		 Republican December 15, 1898 –
December 5, 1902		 Elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
[data missing]

Edward Kern
(Downtown)		 Democratic December 5, 1902 –
November 26, 1906		 Elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Resigned.
Vacant November 26, 1906 –
December 13, 1906

Henry H. Lyon
(Downtown)		 Republican December 13, 1906 –
December 10, 1909		 Elected in 1906.
Redistricted to the at-large district and lost re-election.
Single-member ward eliminated December 10, 1909

1925–present

Councilmember Party Dates Electoral history
District established July 1, 1925

Ralph L. Criswell
(Vermont Square)		 Republican July 1, 1925 –
June 30, 1927		 Redistricted from the at-large district and re-elected in 1925.
Lost re-election.

Howard W. Davis
(Vermont Square)		 Republican July 1, 1927 –
June 30, 1935		 Elected in 1927.
Re-elected in 1929.
Re-elected in 1931.
Re-elected in 1933.
Retired.

Will H. Kindig
(Vermont Square)		 Democratic July 1, 1935 –
June 30, 1937		 Elected in 1935.
Lost re-election.

Howard W. Davis
(Vermont Square)		 Republican July 1, 1937 –
June 30, 1939		 Elected in 1937.
Lost re-election.

Carl C. Rasmussen
(Leimert Park)		 Democratic July 1, 1939 –
June 30, 1947		 Elected in 1939.
Elected in 1943.
Lost re-election.

Don A. Allen
(Leimert Park)		 Democratic July 1, 1947 –
September 13, 1956		 Elected in 1947.
Re-elected in 1949.
Re-elected in 1951.
Re-elected in 1953.
Re-elected in 1955.
Resigned when elected to the California State Assembly.
Vacant September 13, 1956 –
July 1, 1957

James C. Corman
(Van Nuys)		 Democratic July 1, 1957 –
January 3, 1961		 Elected in 1957.
Resigned when elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Vacant January 3, 1961 –
June 1, 1961

Ernani Bernardi
(Van Nuys)		 Democratic June 1, 1961 –
June 30, 1993		 Elected to finish Corman's term.
Re-elected in 1965.
Re-elected in 1969.
Re-elected in 1973.
Re-elected in 1977.
Re-elected in 1981.
Re-elected in 1985.
Re-elected in 1989.
Re-elected in 1993.
Retired to run for Mayor of Los Angeles.

Richard Alarcon
(Northridge)		 Democratic July 1, 1993 –
January 3, 1999		 Elected in 1993.
Re-elected in 1997.
Resigned when elected to the California State Senate.
Vacant January 3, 1999 –
June 8, 1999

Alex Padilla
(Pacoima)		 Democratic June 8, 1999 –
December 4, 2006		 Appointed to finish Alarcon's term.
Elected in 2001.
Re-elected in 2005.
Resigned when elected to the California State Senate.
Vacant December 4, 2006 –
July 1, 2007

Richard Alarcon
(Northridge)		 Democratic July 1, 2007 –
June 30, 2013		 Elected in 2007.
Re-elected in 2009.
Termed out.

Felipe Fuentes
(Sylmar)		 Democratic July 1, 2013 –
September 30, 2016		 Elected in 2013.
Resigned to become a lobbyist.
Vacant September 30, 2016 –
July 1, 2017

Monica Rodriguez
(Mission Hills)		 Democratic July 1, 2017 –
 Elected in 2017.
Re-elected in 2022.

References

  1. 1 2 "Council Votes Redistricting After Flare-up Over Changes," Los Angeles Times, October 24, 1956, page B-1
  2. ↑ Hernández, Caitlin (November 18, 2022). "LA City Council In 2023: Your Guide To Who's Who (And What They Do)". LAist.
  3. ↑ "First Map Showing City Council's Districts," Los Angeles Times, January 16, 1925, page 1 The map shows all 15 council districts. The official boundaries of all 15 as limned by the city clerk are at "Councilmanic Districts Are Traced by Clerk Dominguez," Los Angeles Times, February 12, 1925, page A-2
  4. ↑ "Here Are the Hundred and Twelve Aspirants for the City's Fifteen Councilmanic Seats," Los Angeles Times, May 3, 1925, page 7
  5. ↑ "Council Areas' Lines Changed," Los Angeles Times, December 29, 1928, page A-1
  6. ↑ "District Lines Get Approval," Los Angeles Times, December 24, 1932, page 2
  7. ↑ "City Reapportionment Measure Gets Approval," Los Angeles Times, January 19, 1933 With map of all districts.
  8. ↑ "New Council Zones Defined," Los Angeles Times, January 7, 1937, page A-18
  9. ↑ "Proposed New Alignment for City Voting Precincts" (with map), Los Angeles Times, November 30, 1940, page A-3
  10. ↑ Carlton Williams, "12 Vie for 7th District Council Post," Los Angeles Times, March 21, 1961
  11. ↑ "Los Angeles' Realigned Council Districts," Los Angeles Times, September 21, 1986, page B -3
  12. ↑ Jack Cheevers, "Elections: The Head of a Pacoima Youth Group Joins a Growing Field . . .," Los Angeles Times, January 27, 1993
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