Residents of a neighborhood in southwestern Los Angeles will now be able to walk and drive along a street named after former President Barack Obama, thanks to the city council.
The 44th president can add the three-and-a-half-mile “Rodeo Road” to the list of California roadways and schools bearing his name after a vote Tuesday by the Los Angeles City Council made “Obama Boulevard” official, The Los Angeles Times reported.
“We’re thrilled that Angelenos and visitors will forever be reminded of the legacy of President Barack Obama when traveling across L.A.,” Mayor Eric Garcetti announced in a tweet Tuesday.
It’s official: our City Council has voted to rename Rodeo Road to Obama Boulevard!
We’re thrilled that Angelenos and visitors will forever be reminded of the legacy of President @BarackObama when traveling across L.A. pic.twitter.com/gnVNgBgndn
— Mayor Eric Garcetti (@MayorOfLA) August 29, 2018
City Council President Herb Wesson proposed the name change more than one year ago, noting that during Obama’s 2008 presidential bid, he held a campaign rally at Rancho Cienega Park on Rodeo Road.
The residential area in a predominantly African American community, not to be confused with the upscale Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, already has several streets named after former U.S. presidents such as George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson, according to the Times.
L.A. will rename Rodeo Road as Obama Boulevard in tribute to former president https://t.co/trghPtPBq3 pic.twitter.com/UXfhEe99xf
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) August 29, 2018
Wesson noted in a series of tweets that the council’s decision to rename Rodeo Road on Tuesday coincided with the 55th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream Speech” and that in 2008, Obama “became the first African-American presidential nominee from a major political party.”
#OnThisDay in 1963, #MLK‘s “I Have a Dream” speech took place at the March on Washington. 55 years on, this defining moment lives on in our hearts and inspires us to continue fighting for justice. pic.twitter.com/jZgmbl4GWy
— L.A. City Council President Herb Wesson (@HerbJWesson) August 28, 2018
Also #OTD in 2008, @BarackObama became the first African-American presidential nominee from a major political party. Today our council gave final approval to our motion to rename Rodeo Road to Obama Boulevard. Proud to take this next step on a day that meant so much to so many. pic.twitter.com/fpGqikmQtD
— L.A. City Council President Herb Wesson (@HerbJWesson) August 28, 2018
Last year, a proposal by Democratic Sen. Anthony Portantino was passed, naming a portion of the 134 Freeway after Obama. City leaders in the Monterey Bay town of Seaside also renamed one street “Obama Way.”
As city officials patted themselves on the back for the name change Tuesday and got some applause on social media, others on Twitter called out the city for its priorities and what Obama’s legacy really looks like.
Why would the city be wasting money and time on this crap?
— Backflip (@backflip500) August 29, 2018
now let’s get on affordable housing and making sure people on the streets have a home.
— TommyExtraStout (@TommyExtraStout) August 29, 2018
Lined with homeless in cardboard boxes with stolen shopping carts. How appropriate! Exactly what the two of you did for America and Los Angeles.
— Glenn Marra (@glenninla) August 29, 2018
Obama didn’t do a dam thing good for this country. Glad he is out of office. we could have renamed the street, bullshit ave and it would mean the same thing. We hve Liberal idiots destroying our state,
— Russell Barton (@RBarton68) August 29, 2018
What legacy?
— Simon②⚒ (@piemashmerchant) August 29, 2018
Thousands of the u.s. citizen homeless should go and live there since Obama help them lose their future to illegals
— Nancy Geiger (@NancyGeiger19) August 29, 2018
This is a joke? Please tell me it’s a Joke.
— noclockdude (@noclockdude) August 29, 2018
what was Barack Obama’s legacy again? Deporting more people than Trump?
— YES ON PROP 10 (@heatheriscold) August 29, 2018
The Mayor has some strange priorities, how about the increased crime and mentally deranged homeless criminals on our streets? #VoteDemsOut ??
— Mik J. (@BottleKapMusic) August 29, 2018
Exactly who voted? I live in LA and was not asked to consider this change?
— Silvia Benun (@silvia_benun) August 29, 2018
Glad your city council are making these tuff decisions? #joke
— R Campy (@rcampuzano3) August 29, 2018
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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