New District Maps Won't Affect Fashion District

The Los Angeles Fashion District’s political boundaries will remain intact as the city recently approved a redistricting plan that won’t affect the jurisdiction maps of representing council members Nick Pacheco and Jan Perry.

District maps are required to be redrawn every 10 years to reflect changes in demographics.

Pacheco, who had been lobbying for a plan that would give him key portions of Perry’s 9th District, had a sudden change of heart and voted for Perry’s plan, saying he wanted to keep the council united as it prepares to fight a battle with secession proponents in the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood who are trying to break from the city of Los Angeles to form their own cities.

The pro-business Pacheco initially wanted more of the Fashion District so he could “unite communities of interest,” but he eventually reached a tentative plan to take part of Perry’s district east of Alameda Street, where there are some manufacturers and rows of artist lofts. His 14th District covers the Broadway corridor, the California Market Center and New Mart, while Perry’s district covers the Fashion District south of Olympic Boulevard.

Perry called Pacheco’s move gracious and said “this is about putting the people of Los Angeles first.”

One of the biggest changes to result from the City Council vote is a new district in the San Fernando Valley that will give more representation to the Valley’s Latino population. The new 6th District will fall under Councilwoman Ruth Galanter’s jurisdiction while part of Galanter’s old jurisdiction covering West Los Angeles will fall into Councilwoman’s Cindy Miscikowski’s remapped 11th District. The new maps will go into effect July 1. —Robert McAllister