Los Angeles's 2nd City Council district

The district was preceded by the second ward, first established in 1870 when the city was first incorporated. During the ward system in place from 1870 to 1889, it elected three (four from 1874 to 1878) to the Los Angeles Common Council. The second ward included the northern part of Los Angeles that wasn't included in the 1st ward.[1][2] The district was obsolete when the at-large district was first established in 1889.

From 1889 to 1909, the ward was re-established, with the boundaries at the Los Angeles River, Downey Avenue, and San Fernando Road. It included the neighborhoods of Elysian Park, Angelino Heights, and Echo Park. It elected one member through a plurality vote before the ward became obsolete when the at-large district was re-established again in 1909.[3]

In 1925, the district was created and was situated at Hollywood south of Franklin Avenue or Hollywood Boulevard and north of Santa Monica Boulevard, and Los Feliz.[4][5][6] The district headquarters was at 2495 Glendower Avenue.[7] In 1928, the boundaries were at Vermont Avenue. South boundary: Melrose Avenue to Seward Street, Fountain Avenue, north of Beverly Hills. West boundary: Beverly Glen[8] By 1937, it was bounded on the north by the Hollywood Hills, south by Melrose Avenue, east by the 1st district and west by Beverly Glen Boulevard.[9] In 1940, it was extended to include Griffith Park before extending again to include Riverside Drive and Studio City.[10][11]

By 1955, it had Hollywood and a "sizable portion" of the San Fernando Valley, generally west of Ventura Boulevard and extending north to Encino.[12] In 1960, the district was divested of its Hollywood area, which was instead attached to the 13th District.[13] Its boundaries moved north and west, taking over Encino and parts of Van Nuys and North Hollywood.[14] By 1975, the district was no longer representing Hollywood, but instead Sherman Oaks, Studio City, the Los Feliz district and Atwater Village.[15] In 1979, the district was described as a "mixture of wealth and earthier life-styles that reaches from the San Diego Freeway through the Santa Monica Mountains to Griffith Park and beyond." The communities of Atwater Village, North Hollywood and Los Feliz were included in it, as well as the more affluent part of Studio City and Hollywood Hills.[16] In 1982, the district straddled the Santa Monica Mountains east of the San Diego Freeway, taking in Sherman Oaks, Studio City, North Hollywood and the canyons north of Beverly Hills between Beverly Drive and Laurel Canyon Boulevard. Atwater, Glassell Park, Highland Park and Mount Washington were added while Benedict Canyon, Los Feliz and Hollywood were removed.[17]

In 1986, with the death of Howard Finn in the 1st district, the district was moved to near Downtown to provide for election of a Hispanic, with the 2nd and 7th districts taking over the old area. Since then, the district has been situated in San Fernando Valley, extending from Studio City on the south, through Van Nuys to Sunland-Tujunga.[18] In 2001, it extended to include La Tuna Canyon, with parts of Sun Valley, North Hollywood, Arleta, Lake View Terrace, Panorama City, Mission Hills, North Hills, Valley Village, Studio City and Van Nuys.[19] In 2003, it had parts of Sherman Oaks, Valley Glen, North Hollywood, Lake View Terrace, Shadow Hills, La Tuna Canyon, and Van Nuys.[20] In 2012, it no longer included Sunland-Tujunga, La Tuna Canyon, Lakeview Terrace, Shadow Hills and Sherman Oaks. It picked up nearly all of North Hollywood, Studio City and Valley Village, in addition to the NoHo Arts District, and portions of Campo de Cahuenga and the Universal City Metro station.[21]