Though many are unaware of it, today is an election day in several parts of the country. In Southern California, residents of West Hollywood -- the small, predominantly gay city squeezed in between Los Angeles and Beverly Hills -- are deciding an election that's proving to be one of the city's most contentious ever.
From public radio to L.A.-area websites to The New York Times, numerous media outlets have reported on Tuesday's West Hollywood election. The main issue is the battle over development in the 1.9-square-mile city, established by renters and gays in 1984 (it was previously an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County). Six gay men are running for city council, many on the platform of curbing development and keeping the city affordable for young gay people. As West Hollywood prospered -- its crime has dropped, new gleaming buildings have gone up, and its restaurants and retail have upgraded -- property values and rents have crept up. And as in many gay communities, West Hollywood's apartments and bars have become more diverse, with straight families and single straight people mixing with the LGBT crowd.
John D'Amico, a new candidate for city council, told public radio station KCRW that he was running because the current people in charge are more interested in catering to developers -- and their "$1 million condos" -- than creating an affordable environment that encourages younger gays to move in and settle down.
"Whether it's the Castro or Chelsea or West Hollywood, a lot of the traditional LGBT neighborhoods and communities have gentrified over the years," West Hollywood councilman and former mayor , Jeffrey Prang tells The Advocate (Prang isn't up for election until 2013). "In many ways, the LGBT neighborhoods were places we had to live because it was uncomfortable or unsafe to live elsewhere. But the movement has made so much progress -- especially in urban areas -- that gays can live all over the place. The imperative to live in the LGBT enclave is not so much a necessity but a choice."
Even though he points out West Hollywood has maintained a 40% gay
population since its inception, Prang says its imperative that West
Hollywood preserve its gay identity.
"We need to work harder and
be more creative to keep West Hollywood an important center of LGBT
social and cultural life," he says. "We need to support the bars and
restaurants and shops. We need to provide advocacy for LGBT rights. We
need to support the community through culture and arts. I'm a strong
supporter of rent control--but I don't know if we'll ever get to the
point where property values and rent were 30 years ago."
Before West
Hollywood became a city, and in its early days, Sunset and Santa Monica
boulevards were filled with sex workers and seedy shops, Prang says.
"I
don't think anyone living in West Hollywood today would recommend
creating an environment like we had 30 years ago," he says. "I think
people are satisfied the city is safe and looks great. If you're a
senior or someone living with HIV, the city does so much to make your
life more convenient. West Hollywood is still a fun and exciting place
to come out--it's no less vital."
