Brief

Councilmember Ysabel Jurado introduced a motion, seconded by Bob Blumenfield, to establish permanent ceremonial signage at the intersection of Temple Street and Figueroa Street naming it 'America is in the Heart Square.' The motion was referred to Public Works Committee in April 2026 and approved as amended in June 2026. The file remains open pending any further council action.

Full summary

This motion, introduced by Councilmember Ysabel Jurado and seconded by Councilmember Bob Blumenfield on April 21, 2026, proposes two related ceremonial street designations honoring Filipino-American heritage in Los Angeles. The first would designate the intersection of Temple Street and Figueroa Street as 'America is in the Heart Square,' explicitly honoring the presence of Filipino Americans and author Carlos Bulosan at what the motion identifies as a Little Manila site. The second, added as an amendment during committee consideration, would designate the intersection of First Street and Los Angeles Street as 'Little Manila Square,' recognizing it as the historical location of Los Angeles's original Little Manila neighborhood. Both designations would be marked by permanent ceremonial signs erected by the Department of Transportation. The title 'America is in the Heart' references the celebrated 1946 autobiographical novel by Filipino-American writer Carlos Bulosan, which documented the struggles of Filipino migrant workers in the United States and has become a touchstone of Filipino-American literary and cultural identity. The dual designations together aim to memorialize the broader Filipino-American community history in downtown Los Angeles. The motion was referred to the Public Works Committee upon introduction and approved unanimously on June 24, 2026, with committee members Hernandez, Padilla, and Hutt all voting yes. The committee's report notes that no fiscal impact analysis has been completed and no community impact statements were submitted. The file now awaits a full Council vote before the designations and signage directives become official.

Activity (3)

• 2026-06-24 Public Works Committee approved as amended .
• 2026-06-18 Public Works Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on June 24, 2026.
• 2026-04-21 Motion referred to Public Works Committee.

Documents (2)

• 2026-06-24 Report from Public Works Committee · report
• 2026-04-21 Motion · motion