Congressional Redistricting Plan Splits Up Valley Village

Valley Village is a close-knit community. Nestled among Studio City, Sherman Oaks and North Hollywood, it has a vibrant homeowners association and one of most active neighborhood councils in Los Angeles. It’s home to the enviable Colfax Charter Elementary School and North Hollywood High School—voted as one of 2011’s top 200 schools in America by the Washington Post. Its annual Fourth of July parade and Colfax World Fair are community events that attract thousands of people.

But in the latest round of redistricting, the mapmakers have sliced away a small piece of Valley Village and are combining it with the district to the northeast.

According to the Valley Village Homeowners Association website, Valley Village was established in 1939. Its boundaries are Burbank Boulevard to the north, the 170 Freeway to the east, the 101 Freeway to the south and the Tujunga wash to the west.

Rather than dividing a line down the 170 Freeway, the new congressional boundary runs down the middle of Colfax Avenue, separating the section between Burbank Boulevard and Riverside Drive from the rest of Valley Village. This would affect approximately 464 homes and a few dozen apartment buildings, as well as businesses including Riverside Pharmacy, Yum Yum Donuts and Taco Bell. Faith Presbyterian Church, St. David’s Anglican Church, Oakwood School and Valley Village Park are also located in this area.

“We are alarmed that the most recent iteration of redistricted California congressional boundaries divides Valley Village into two separate congressional districts," says Tony Braswell, president of Neighborhood Council Valley Village (NCVV).

“On behalf of our 25,000 stakeholders we have appealed to the Citizens Redistricting Commission to adhere to their stated criteria that ‘districts must respect the boundaries of cities, counties, neighborhoods and communities of interest and minimize their division…’ Redrawing the southern Valley Village boundary to follow The 170 Freeway adheres to this criteria and keeps Valley Village in one congressional district.”

NCVV treasurer Paul Hatfield writes a popular local blog titled Village to Village. In his July 16 post he suggests that the redistricting boundary may have been caused by the sliced-off area’s 91601 ZIP code, which is different from the rest of Valley Village’s 91607 ZIP code. “The redistricting committee does not know the Valley well enough to realize ZIP codes have little to do with natural community boundaries,” he suggests.

Valley Village resident Vita Hall was motivated to send an email to the Citizens Redistricting Commission, saying: “When I bought my house 2 years ago, I made an investment in an area that has a wonderful neighborhood community. In the middle of a huge metropolis called Los Angeles, we found an area where we could commute to work, have the cultural benefits of a big city and have that small community feeling of an active-family-friendly neighborhood. We found that in Valley Village. Please keep us together!!!” She added in closing, “The families of Colfax Elementary should not be divided into separate congressional districts.”

Congressional districts are redrawn every 10 years, just after the federal census has been completed. The Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC) was created when voters passed Proposition 11 (The Voters First Act) in 2008 to establish a commission of 14 members from varied ethnic backgrounds, geographical locations and political affiliations to create the new district boundaries. Lines are drawn to include equal populations of citizens with “communities of interest,” which the California Constitution defines as “a contiguous population which shares common social and economic interests that should be included within a single district for purposes of its effective and fair representation.” Examples include similar work opportunities, shared transportation, education systems and health facilities, and geographic features.

The commission has been pursuing input from California citizens regarding redistricting. In its “Guide to Round Two Public Hearing Process,” the commission specifically asks, “Do you have a suggestion that would make your district better reflect the interests of its residents, for example, by moving the boundaries to include (or exclude) certain areas?”

Various input hearings have been scheduled throughout the state in which individuals are given up to two minutes to tell the committee about their community. The CRC was specifically looking for the answers to the four following questions:

1. What bonds your community: What do you see as the common links in your community?

2. Where is your community located: what are the boundaries of your community?

3. Why should the community be kept together, or separate, from another area?

4. Maps are very helpful! Examples include Google Maps, AAA, or even hand-drawn. All maps should clearly state where the county is located (e.g. County/City) as well as its borders (e.g. streets, rivers, railroad tracks, etc.)

The CRC will be refining its maps during meetings on Friday and Saturday (July 22 and 23), which may be viewed live by the public. The final boundaries are to be decided July 29, and the official maps are to be adopted on Aug. 15.

Anyone who wishes to support or oppose the current redistricting maps is encouraged to email their opinions to votersfirstact@crc.ca.gov or to fax them to 916-651-5711. Comments must be submitted by today (Wednesday, July 20) in order to be considered.

Valley Village is currently part of the 28th Congressional District in California and is represented by Congressman Howard L. Berman. Its boundaries resemble the shape of an upside down T, with the base running along Mulholland Drive from Tarzana to Griffith Park, and at the 101 Freeway, a narrower stretch from the 405 Freeway to Toluca Lake and up to the 210 Freeway.

The new proposal breaks up this district into two pieces: West San Fernando Valley—Calabasas and East San Fernando Valley—Tujunga, with the Calabasas area stretching further west and the Tujunga area expanding north to the 14 Freeway. This is sure to create political fireworks with Howard Berman sparring with Brad Sherman of the 27th Congressional District, the San Fernando Valley area that is currently wrapped around Berman’s 28th district.