Los Angeles and Lomita will take ownership of some baseball fields from the U.S. Navy’s Defense Support Point in San Pedro, officials announced on Tuesday, Dec. 31.
Rep. Nanette Barragán, D-Los Angeles, said she secured language in the National Defense Authorization Act to help transfer the federal land, which would happen after negotiations between the Navy and the cities are complete. President Joe Biden signed the bill into law last week, the congresswoman said.
Four years ago, the Secretary of Defense issued a memo stating that the Department of Defense would no longer support nonprofits that use and maintain the sites, according to Barragán’s office. As a result, the Defense Department was planning to dramatically increase fees for using the ballfields, at 2981 N. Gaffey St. and 3181 N. Gaffey St., in San Pedro, and at 26800 S. Western Ave., in Lomita.
The San Pedro Girls Softball Association, the San Pedro Athletic Complex and the Lomita Little League — which had used and maintained the fields for nearly 50 years — would have been priced out from using the fields, Barragán said.
“Baseball is America’s pastime,” Barragán said in a statement, “and our communities in the Los Angeles Harbor Area have long relied on these fields to provide access to youth athletic programs and other outdoor recreation activities.
“I’m so proud to have secured this language in this year’s NDAA to begin the transfer of the ballfields to our communities,” she added, “providing our kids with access for years to come.”
The language gave the Secretary of the Navy the authority to transfer the San Pedro ballfields to the cities of Los Angeles and Lomita, but requires a “mutually satisfactory agreement” between the parties, according to Barragán’s office.
The congresswoman previously led efforts on an interim agreement that allowed community organizations to access the fields.
Earlier this year, Barragán and Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, introduced similar legislation to protect community access to the fields. They sent a letter in September 2021 to U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos del Toro that helped prevent a dramatic fee increase, they said.
“I’m pleased that with this bill becoming law, our communities will continue to have access to these vital recreational spaces,” Lieu said in a statement. “By allowing Los Angeles and Lomita to gain permanent ownership of the San Pedro ballfield, we are ensuring accessibility for future generations. No family should have to pay sky-high fees for their children to enjoy sports and play ball.”
