That the City Council APPROVE AND ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. ________ ENTITLED:  A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA, CALIFORNIA, REGARDING CALIFORNIA CITIZENS REDISTRICTING COMMISSION BOUNDARY MAPS.

District boundaries are redrawn once per decade for use in federal, state, and county elections.  These new districts take into consideration U.S. Census data and affect elections and representation that involve congressional, state senate, state assembly, and county supervisor offices.

Congressional, State Senate, and State Assembly Offices
In 2008, California voters authorized the creation of the California Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC), an independent body, 14-member commission (CRC Commission) to draw new district boundaries for congressional, state senate, and state assembly offices. The CRC is composed of an equal number of individuals from both major political parties (5 Democrats and 5 Republicans), as well as four (4) additional individuals not affiliated with either party. The CRC must draw district lines in conformity with strict, nonpartisan rules meant to create districts of relatively equal population that provide fair and equitable representation for all Californians. Specific details regarding the CRC Commission and its role can be found online at www.wedrawthelinesca.org. 

Since February 2021, the CRC has been hosting public meetings to educate the public on the redistricting process and solicit input on proposed maps for congressional, state senate, and state assembly districts. Preliminary maps have been available to the public since mid-November 2021 and the CRC is required to approve and submit final maps to the California Secretary of State by December 27, 2021. 

The preliminary maps have undergone multiple revisions and a copy of the current maps under consideration by the CRC are available for review on their website. Visitors may view all public comments received by the CRC to date, as well as draft maps, a map viewer that allows users to “turn on and off” data layers in order to compare and contrast current and proposed map boundaries, and official redistricting data sets used by the CRC to draw proposed maps.  Copies of maps for congressional, state senate, and state assembly districts as they currently exist as well as the most recent maps under consideration by the CRC are attached to this staff report.

To better understand district maps, the following list identifies cities grouped with La Habra in current and proposed congressional, state senate, and state assembly districts: 

39^th Congressional District
Current District Map: Brea, Buena Park, Chino Hills, Diamond Bar, Fullerton, Hacienda Heights, Placentia, Rowland Heights, Walnut, and Yorba Linda

Proposed District Map: Diamond Bar, La Habra, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Montebello, Norwalk, Pico Rivera, Rowland Heights, Santa Fe Springs, Walnut, Whittier, and unincorporated portions of Los Angeles County.  If approved, La Habra would appear to be the sole Orange County city in this proposed district.

29^th Senate District
Current District Map: portions of Anaheim, Brea, Chino Hills, Cypress, Diamond Bar, Fullerton, La Habra, La Palma, Placentia, Rowland Heights, Stanton, Walnut, portions of West Covina, Yorba Linda, and unincorporated portions of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino Counties. 

Proposed District Map: Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Diamond Bar, Downey, Hacienda Heights, Industry, La Habra, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, La Puente, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, and Walnut.  If approved, La Habra would appear to be the sole Orange County city in this proposed district.

55^th Assembly District
Current District Map: Brea, Chino Hills, Diamond Bar, La Habra, Placentia, Yorba Linda, Walnut, and portions of unincorporated Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.

Proposed District Map: Downey, La Habra, La Mirada, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, Whittier, and portions of unincorporated Los Angeles County.  If approved, La Habra would appear to be the sole Orange County city in this proposed district.

The versions of the proposed district maps as of the date this staff report was prepared would place the City of La Habra in congressional, state senate, and state assembly districts largely, if not exclusively, composed of communities from Los Angeles County.  In fact, La Habra appears to be the only Orange County city in any of these proposed districts.  If that were to occur, it could potentially marginalize La Habra's ability to receive state and federal funding or successfully lobby for or against legislation, as well as possibly impacting the City's long history of working closely with other North Orange County cities to address issues of regional importance, such as homelessness, housing, transportation, climate change, and public safety. 

Although the City has already transmitted a letter from Mayor Espinoza to the CRC expressing these concerns, staff recommends that the City Council consider and adopt the attached resolution requesting the CRC to place the City of La Habra in state and congressional districts that include other North Orange County communities. The proposed County supervisorial district map does not appear to significantly change La Habra's representation alongside its neighboring Orange County cities; therefore, staff has no recommendations regarding any changes to the County supervisor district map.