The Honorable Herb J. Wesson, Jr.

Herb J. Wesson, Jr. has served as the President of the Los Angeles City Council since November 2011 and has represented Council District 10 since 2005. Wesson is the first African American to hold the position of Council President in the city’s history and has been re-elected three times to lead the city’s legislative body. During his tenure as Council President, Wesson has presided over monumental policy initiatives making Los Angeles a better place to live, work and raise a family. Not only have local policy initiatives —which include raising the minimum wage, pension reform and consolidating city elections to increase voter turnout— positively affected local residents, but in many cases the city’s actions have spurred state and national response and served as a model for similar policies.

Wesson chairs several committees including the Rules, Elections, Intergovernmental Relations, and Neighborhoods (REIRN) Committee, Board of Referred Powers and the Ad Hoc Committee on the 2024 Summer Olympics. He is the Vice Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Comprehensive Job Creation. As chair of REIRN, Wesson has facilitated the empowerment of Neighborhood Councils while finding new and innovative ways to engage the public and promote civic engagement.

Economic Development

Since assuming office Wesson has brought much needed economic development to the 10th Council District. Wesson has presided over completed and highly anticipated development projects bringing economic investment and jobs to the community such as Midtown Crossing, a 330,000-square-foot urban retail development, Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw Medical Offices, which will provide primary and specialty health care services for local residents, District Square, a proposed 300,000-square-foot retail complex located steps from Metro’s Expo/Crenshaw Station, and Cumulus, a proposed transit oriented development on 12 acres which will include a mix of residential units, office space and pedestrian-oriented retail. According to a report by the L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce, under Wesson’s leadership Council District 10 has the second highest private employment growth rate in the city, is setting the trend for mixed-use developments citywide and boasts an increase in local business activity. Personal Life Council President Wesson has been happily married to Fabian Wesson for more than 35 years and is the proud father of four sons- Douglas, P.J., Herb III, and Justin. Wesson is grandfather to three grandchildren- Patrick, Maileah, and Tatiana. When Council President Wesson is not spoiling his grandchildren, you can find him on the links with his wife. He is a graduate of Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.

Career Highlights

  • Chief of Staff, Office of Los Angeles City Councilmember Nate Holden, 1982 – 1992
  • Chief of Staff, Office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne Burke, 1992 – 1997
  • Assembly Member, 47th California State Assembly District, 1998 – 2004
  • 65th Speaker of the California State Assembly, 2002 – 2004
  • Los Angeles City Councilmember, 10th Council District, 2005 – present
  • President of the Los Angeles City Council, 2011 – present