Last week, the San Diego Redistricting Commission unanimously approved a final map of new City Council district boundaries by a 7-0 vote. The new map maintains an LGBT-friendly District 3, even with its boundary changes, according to the LGBT Redistricting Task Force.
“From the LGBT perspective, we could not have done any better, I think,” said Linda Perine, chairwoman of the task force. “As far as the LGBT community is concerned, we won gigantic. We came out so well in this process. Other observers have called District 3 the most influential district in the city.”
She continued, “We did so well in this process that it’s a little bit of a concern to me that some aspects of the community leadership are not acknowledging how successful the task force was.”
Using federal census data, a Redistricting Commission modifies city council districts every ten years to adjust for population changes. This year, the city also added a 9th District, in accordance of the new strong mayor format approved by the voters last year.
The redistricting process was to also preserve “identifiable communities of interest.” The LGBT neighborhoods were recognized as a community of interest 20 years ago with the creation of District 3, and its residents have elected a gay or lesbian city councilmember ever since.
“District 3 is a very, very, very strong pro civil rights for LGBT people district,” Perine said, adding, “District 9 is a Latino, immigrant and LGBT-friendly district. District 2 is pretty friendly, too.”
The new District 3 adds Little Italy, Old Town, Mission Hills, Bankers Hill, Golden Hill and downtown to the communities of Hillcrest, North Park, University Heights and Normal Heights. The communities of Kensington, Talmadge and City Heights – including the LGBT haven of Azalea Park – move out of District 3 into the new District 9, which also includes the College areas and Rolando to the northeast to Mountain View and South Crest to the southwest.
City Councilman Todd Gloria, who currently serves District 3, responded to the new map by saying, “Council District 3 will no longer include the great communities of Kensington, Talmadge and City Heights. These communities will always mean a great deal to me and my family, and I am sorry to lose direct representation of them.”
The final map can be viewed online at sandiego.gov/redistricting or by calling 619-533-3060.
Approval of a final map concludes a nearly 10-month process by the seven volunteer commissioners that included 45 public hearings and public input provided by more than 2,000 residents and stakeholders.
This final map will become effective 30 days from adoption and will be used in the 2012 election cycle. The city attorney’s office recently wrote in a legal opinion that the current eight councilmembers will continue to represent their current districts until December 2012, when the new 9th District councilmember is sworn in.
