California - 27th District

Incumbent -- Brad Sherman (D) ; Running for re-election

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District Information

District Profile from Politics in America

While most of the 27th District is within Los Angeles, people who live here do not generally think of themselves as residents of the city. Instead, they view themselves as part of the Los Angeles communities of Van Nuys, Encino or Sherman Oaks in the San Fernando Valley north of central Los Angeles. The valley's portion of the city lies primarily in the 27th and 28th districts.

Biomedical firms and entertainment ventures located just outside Hollywood drive the economy here. Health testing company Quest Diagnostics has a clinical trials site in Northridge, and other firms are in Sylmar, Van Nuys and North Hollywood. Toymaker MGA Entertainment has its corporate office in Van Nuys, while the San Fernando Valley is home to much of the nation's adult entertainment industry.

The valley has a stable hospitality industry -- particularly its hotels and small conference sites -- because of its proximity to Hollywood and the local airports. The flat, grid-like streets of much of the 27th take in both the Bob Hope (Burbank) and Van Nuys airports. There are several colleges here as well, including California State University, Northridge. Reservoirs and aqueducts in the northwest provide water to millions of Los Angeles County residents, and regional efforts continue to conserve water resources. The region is at risk for heavy wildfires that damage homes and endanger residents.

Asian immigrants, particularly from India and Pakistan, have made the mostly white and Hispanic district home. This rise of immigration increased demand for housing, which in turn led to higher housing rates. But some new developments and established areas have felt the sting of foreclosures.

A majority of the district's workers are employed in white-collar jobs, and the district is solidly Democratic. Residents here gave Jerry Brown a more than 20-percentage point win in the 2010 gubernatorial election.

Major Industry

Biotech, service

Cities

Los Angeles (pt.), 635,177; Burbank (pt.), 46,533

notable

The Valley Performing Arts Center opened at California State University, Northridge, in 2011.