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The City of West Hollywood is celebrating a major milestone this month: its 40th anniversary as a city.
West Hollywood officially became a city on November 29, 1984.
John Heilman was part of a group that helped lead WeHo toward urbanization.
“We were an unincorporated island within the county,” Heilman said. “We didn’t have city representation. We were represented by the (LA) County supervisors.”
The desire to become a city flourished in the early ’80s, when supervisors at the time talked about phasing out rent control.
“It’s unthinkable now, but at the time the county board of supervisors had a 3-2 Republican majority,” Heilman said. “They were talking about phasing out rent control, and West Hollywood was a city that was 85% renters. Rent control was a big motivator for many people in the community to pursue urbanization. It became.”
Other concerns were local control and the ability to elect LGBT individuals to elected office, Heilman said.
West Hollywood, which became a city 40 years ago when neighbors collected signatures and the necessary votes, is now bustling with business and a longtime home for many in the LGBTQ+ community.
Mayor John Erickson is proud of the progress made over the years, saying, “People around the world and in America look to West Hollywood as a place where they can go and feel loved.” he added.
“We have passed groundbreaking policies, from the minimum wage to investments in public safety, investments in homelessness, and homeless care and services,” Erickson explained. “The city of West Hollywood has been and continues to be a pioneer in progress, and I’m really looking forward to continuing that.”
As for John Heilman, he served as the first city councilman and still serves on the city council. Now, as the city approaches its 40th anniversary, he’s taking time to reflect.
“Sometimes we forget to look back and remember how far we’ve come,” Heilman says.
West Hollywood will celebrate its 40th anniversary Thursday night with a ceremony at the Pacific Design Center.
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