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Council approves motion to recognize historic South Los Angeles neighborhood names
Summary
The council voted 10-0 to approve a motion to designate and post signs recognizing historic neighborhood names in parts of South Los Angeles and to recommend expanding the naming campaign citywide, council members and community leaders said.
The Los Angeles City Council on Friday approved a motion to designate historic neighborhood names in parts of South Los Angeles and to recommend signage at key locations, council members and community leaders said.
The motion, filed as item 14 on the continuation agenda, passed by a 10-0 vote. Councilmember Ridley Thomas introduced the item on behalf of the Empowerment Congress and said the effort is intended to recover and affirm local place names and history.
Why it matters: Proponents said reestablishing historic neighborhood names can strengthen local identity, reduce stigma associated with broad labels such as “South Central,” and support the city’s neighborhood empowerment work as neighborhood councils form.
Councilmember Ridley Thomas told the council the project grew from a year-and-a-half planning process and a campaign by the Empowerment Congress to “uncover many of [South Los Angeles’s] historic names and traditions.” He said the motion would authorize posting name signs in key locations in parts of the Eighth District and urged the council to expand the campaign citywide.
Several community leaders spoke in support. Elizabeth McClellan, a resident, urged the council to “give us some self respect” and said residents should be able to identify their neighborhoods by names they choose; she told the council, “From now on…we will be known as Green Meadows Villa,” if her neighborhood is recognized.
The Empowerment Congress representatives said the effort had included historians, the city planning department and researchers at USC and produced a proposed list of neighborhood designations for the Eighth District. The transcript cites Chesterfield Square and mentions several other areas; proponents also referenced areas such as Leimert Park, Village Green and Hyde Park in describing the project’s intent to reflect local history and diversity.
The council approved item 14 by roll call. The motion instructs staff to proceed with the designation and with placement of identifying signs; the item text and implementation details were not fully recited during the presentation and will be handled through the normal administrative process.
The council’s action follows earlier outreach and a public hearing on the item.
