Los Angeles's 5th City Council district

The district was proceeded by the fifth ward, which was established in 1878 and added three seats to the Los Angeles Common Council, alongside the fourth ward. It encompassed the southern and western parts of the city.[2][3] The district was obsolete when the at-large district was first established in 1889.

In 1889, the ward was re-established as a single-member ward, as part of the passing of the 1888 charter. It elected one member through a plurality vote before the ward became obsolete when the at-large district was re-established again in 1909.[4]

In 1925, the district was created and originally encompassed the West Adams area, bounded on the north by Washington Boulevard, on the south by Exposition Boulevard, on the west by Robertson Boulevard and on the east approximately by Vermont Avenue.[5][6] By 1933, it was bounded on the east by Vermont avenue, on the north by Wilshire Boulevard, on the west by La Brea avenue and on the south by Exposition Boulevard.[7][8]

By 1937, it was bounded "on the east by Western to Pico, by Hobart to Washington, and by Vermont to Exposition and on the west by Crenshaw and Rimpau."[9] In 1940, it was bounded on the north by Wilshire Boulevard, on the east by Western or Vermont, on the south by Exposition Boulevard, on the west by Arlington, Crenshaw and minor streets.[10] By 1957, it was part of the Wilshire Boulevard area, extending to Westwood and West Los Angeles.[11] In 1965, it ran from Fairfax Avenue to the San Diego Freeway and from Bel-Air and Beverly Hills south to Washington Boulevard.[12]