Lawndale residents and council celebrate Metro’s Hawthorne Boulevard alignment, vow continued oversight

Residents and several council members on Monday celebrated a Metro Board decision to route the Metro Sealine extension down Hawthorne Boulevard and urged ongoing local engagement to secure benefits for Lawndale City.

Ray Holler, a Lawndale homeowner who addressed the council during public comment, said he was grateful for the city’s support and urged continued oversight so Metro “does not stray away from the unanimous board of directors decision to approve the Hawthorne option” and so affected residents and businesses receive mitigation and development funds.

Context: At its Jan. 22 meeting the 13‑member Metro Board adopted an amendment directing Measure funds toward the Hawthorne Boulevard alignment, a change that local advocates and several elected officials publicly supported. Annette Owens, another public commenter, told the council the vote was unanimous and emphasized that state and local officials—including letters from state senators and representatives—had urged the Hawthorne option.

Council response: Councilmember Tala singled out resident turnout and grassroots organizing, saying the outcome reflected the community’s voice: “We did it. We did it. We did it,” she said, and thanked residents and local advocacy groups who pressed the case at Metro meetings. Mayor Poland Miles and other councilmembers thanked residents and staff for their participation and said the work to determine the future use of the Metro‑owned green space near the alignment is only beginning.

What’s next: Councilmembers asked staff to continue conversations with Metro about the green space and to seek clarity on whether maintenance contributions made by the city will be credited or otherwise addressed. Several councilmembers said they will coordinate with county and state officials who supported the Hawthorne alignment.

Why it matters: Routing the line on Hawthorne Boulevard shifts both the likely construction impacts and the commercial opportunities for Lawndale’s primary business corridor. Councilmembers framed the decision as both a transit victory and a potential driver of local economic activity, while residents urged mitigation and stewardship for neighborhood impacts.

The council did not take formal action on land use or park outcomes at Monday’s meeting; members said those conversations will continue with Metro and may return for future council consideration.