West Hollywood, California
Encyclopedia
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California
, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood. West Hollywood and the neighboring city of Beverly Hills
are together entirely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles
.
neighborhood of Los Angeles
, on the east by the Hollywood
District of Los Angeles, on the west by the city of Beverly Hills
, and on the south by the Fairfax District
of Los Angeles.
The irregular border of the city is highlighted in the city logo and was largely formed from the unincorporated Los Angeles County area that had not become part of the surrounding cities.
West Hollywood benefits from a very dense, compact urban form with small lots, a mix of land uses, and a walkable street grid. Commercial corridors include the nightlife and dining focused on the Sunset Strip
, along Santa Monica Boulevard, and the Avenues of Art & Design along Robertson
, Melrose
, and Beverly
near the Pacific Design Center
.
Major residential neighborhoods in West Hollywood include the Norma Triangle
, West Hollywood North, West Hollywood West
, West Hollywood East and West Hollywood Heights. The city breaks down eleven preferential parking zones which further define residential areas. Major intersecting streets provide amenities within walking distance of adjacent neighborhoods.
laws governing development. The city established the Affordable Housing Trust Fund in 1986 requiring developers to either provide affordable housing in new projects or pay a fee in-lieu to the city which it directs towards other affordable housing projects.
In recent years, residential development has resulted in the replacement of existing housing with fewer, much larger and less affordable luxury units. This is counter to the city goal of increasing the availability of housing. On June 4, 2007, the city council unanimously adopted Jeff Prang and John Duran sponsored Ordinance No. 07-759U, an interim urgency ordinance (IZO) which imposed new temporary development standards in an effort to curtail this trend while developing a long term solution. PDF available www.wehonews.org Ordinance No. 07-759U.
Gentrification
and the scale and type of building developments in West Hollywood present ongoing issues for the city. Most recently, a proposed Walgreens
drug store at Crescent Heights and Santa Monica Boulevard has been among the most contentious projects in recent years. The West Hollywood Gateway Project
brought big box retailers Target and Best Buy
to the eastern border of the city, although in a more urban footprint. This city adopted a Historic Preservation Commission in 1989.
With a socially minded population, West Hollywood adopted one of the nation's first mandatory green building
ordinances on October 1, 2007. The ordinance ensures that new buildings will be healthier for residents, and use energy and resources more efficiently.
Traffic congestion
, public transport
and parking are critical issues in the city due to its location between access to areas such as greater Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley
to the east and the area of the Los Angeles West Side, with the Hollywood Hills
creating a natural impediment to the north. Santa Monica Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard
are critical east-west arteries in the metropolitan area, and Laurel Canyon Boulevard
is a popular shortcut through the hills. Nearly 600 employees and 260 buses in the District 7 fleet of the LACMTA
are based in a large facility on prime real estate near San Vicente Boulevard
and Santa Monica Boulevard. The development of a "pink line" subway through the city, providing a connection between the Metro Red Line and a proposed Metro Purple Line
along Wilshire Boulevard
is currently under study.
Residents of West Hollywood vote overwhelmingly for the Democratic Party. They also regularly pass ordinances geared toward reducing perceived discrimination and protecting the public health and dignity of all living things. West Hollywood is nationally known as a front-runner in social justice legislation.
In 1985, West Hollywood was the first city to create a same-gender domestic partnership
registration for its residents, as well as to offer same-gender domestic partner
benefits for city employees. West Hollywood's comprehensive Domestic Partnership Ordinance allows those couples that are prohibited from marrying (same-sex), and those who can marry but choose not to (heterosexual), to register their union with the city. These unions are treated on an equal basis with legal marriages with respect to city-level benefits and services. In California as a whole, same-sex couples may enter domestic partnerships
which offer them all of the state rights of marriage.
Legislation prohibiting discrimination in the workplace on the basis of sexual orientation is widely recognized as the toughest in the nation. The city is also one of 92 jurisdictions in the country where it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of gender identity or expression.
City legislation also bans the sale of handguns, prohibits smoking in public places, and restricts the city from doing business directly or indirectly (via vendors) with any country known to violate human rights. Also, the city is one of 19 in California that has banned the use of gas-powered leaf-blowers.
West Hollywood is the home of about 1,000 dogs per square mile. The city designed a law that pets are to be called "companions" and their owners "guardians" and was the first city in the country to outlaw the de-clawing of cats.
In 2011, West Hollywood became the first city in the United States to ban the sale of clothing with animal fur
.
Alta Loma Road is home to the Sunset Marquis Hotel
with its famous 45-person Whisky Bar and a recording studio that has been home to many hits. Alta Loma Road was one of the main locations for the film Perfect
. Actor Sal Mineo
lived on this street in the 1970s; he was murdered in his carport just around the corner from Alta Loma Road on Holloway Drive.
The western stretch of Melrose Avenue
, between Fairfax Avenue
and Doheny Drive
, is notable for its trendy clothing boutiques, interior design shops, restaurants and antique stores. The west end of Melrose Avenue, near the Pacific Design Center, is especially known for its exclusive furniture.
The area around Fountain Avenue, Harper Avenue and Havenhurst Drive contains a high concentration of landmark 1920s Spanish Revival and Art Deco
apartment buildings by such noted architects as Leland Bryant. This historic district has been home to many celebrities and at one time the Sunset Tower
at 8358 Sunset Boulevard was home to Frank Sinatra
, Errol Flynn
, the Gabor sisters
, John Wayne
and Howard Hughes
.
Notable business and attractions in West Hollywood include:
street party in the United States (spanning over one mile (1.6 km) of Santa Monica Boulevard from La Cienega Boulevard
on the East to Doheny and the Beverly Hills border on the West), the 2007 Carnival was reported to have more than 350,000 people in attendance, with some traveling from other countries specifically for the event.
Christopher Street West
is a gay pride
parade and festival that was first held in June 1970 in Hollywood to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots
in New York. After incorporation, the event moved to West Hollywood and is typically held the second weekend in June.
The Oscars is a major event in the city with a majority of the large Academy Award party venues being located in the city. Many streets are closed and traffic swells on this day each year.
Frontrunners
LGBT
Pride Run is a 5 km/10 km run/walk held on the Sunday morning of LGBT
Pride.
The City of West Hollywood sponsors an animal walk and pet appreciation days throughout the year, which have in the past featured pet psychics and dog activities. During Halloween the week prior to October 31, animals can participate in a costume contest in West Hollywood Park. West Hollywood is in close proximity to Runyon Canyon Park
's hiking trail and dog park in Hollywood.
Academy Awards Party has traditionally been held at the Pacific Design Center
. It is a multi-million dollar fundraiser for the foundation.
The issue of Paparazzi
chasing celebrities is raised regularly and the city participates in meetings with other nearby municipalities such as Beverly Hills and Los Angeles to discuss the problem and possible actions to better control the activity. The epicenter of the Thirty Mile Zone lies just blocks to the south of the city, and is the basis for the name of TMZ on TV
, a paparazzi footage-based program produced in West Hollywood at Sunset and Crescent Heights Boulevards.
died of a drug overdose at the elegant Chateau Marmont hotel. On the night of his death, he was visited separately by friends Robin Williams
(at the height of his own drug exploits) and Robert De Niro
, each of whom left the premises, leaving Belushi in the company of assorted others, including Cathy Smith
. This is just one of many notable sordid events at the location. A 1930s movie executive reportedly said, 'If you must get into trouble, do it at the Chateau Marmont'.
In 1961, comedian Lenny Bruce
was arrested on obscenity
charges at The Troubadour in then-unincorporated West Hollywood. The arresting officer was a young deputy named Sherman Block
, who would later become County Sheriff.
In 1989, actor Christian Slater
was arrested in West Hollywood for leading the police on a drunken car chase that ended when Slater crashed his car into a telephone pole.
Actor River Phoenix died of a drug overdose on Halloween morning in 1993 at the Viper Room, a club that was opened that year and was partly owned by actor Johnny Depp until 2004.
On November 17, 2006, during a performance at the Laugh Factory, a cell phone
video captured Michael Richards
shouting "Shut up" to a heckler in the audience, followed by repeated shouts of "He's a nigger
!" to the rest of the audience (using the word six times altogether), and also making a reference to lynching
.
arrived offshore and claimed the already inhabited region for Spain. Around 5,000 of the indigenous inhabitants from the Tongva Indian tribe
canoed out to greet Juan Cabrillo. The Tongva tribe was a nation of hunter-gatherers known for their reverence of dancing and courage. By 1771, these native people had been severely ravaged by diseases brought in by the Europeans from across wide oceans. The Spanish mission system changed the tribal name to "Gabrielinos", in reference to the Mission de San Gabriel
.
By 1780, what became the "Sunset Strip
" was the major connecting road for El Pueblo de Los Angeles
, and all ranches westward to the Pacific Ocean
. This land passed through the hands of various owners during the next one hundred years, and it was called names such as "La Brea" and "Plummer" that are listed in historical records. Most of this area was part of the Rancho La Brea
, and eventually it came to be owned by the Henry Hancock
family.
During the final decade years of the nineteenth century, the first large land development in what would later become West Hollywood—the town of "Sherman"—was established by Moses Sherman
and his partners of the Los Angeles and Pacific Railway, an interurban railroad line which later became part of the Pacific Electric Railway
system. Sherman became the location of the railroad's main shops, railroad yards, and "car barns". Many working-class employees of the railroad settles in this town. It was during this time that the city began to earn its reputation as a loosely regulated, liquor-friendly (during Prohibition
) place for eccentric people wary of government interference. This town elected not to become part of the City of Los Angeles
, but rather, it adopted "West Hollywood" as its informal name. It remained under the governance of Los Angeles County.
For many years, the area that is now the City of West Hollywood was an unincorporated area in the midst of Los Angeles. Because gambling was illegal in the City of Los Angeles, but still legal in Los Angeles County, the 1920s saw the proliferation of many casino
s, night clubs, etc., along Sunset Boulevard
(which starts in downtown Los Angeles and runs westward). These businesses were immune from the sometimes heavy-handed law-enforcement of the L.A. Police Department.
Some people connected with movie-making were attracted to this less-restricted area of the County, and a number of architecturally
distinctive apartment buildings and apartment hotels were built.
Eventually, the area and its extravagant nightclubs fell out of favor. However, the Sunset Strip and its restaurants, saloons, and nightclubs continued to be an attraction for out-of-town tourists. During the late 1960s, the Sunset Strip was transformed again during the hippie
movement which brought a thriving music publishing industry coupled with "hippie" culture. Some young people from all over the country flocked to West Hollywood.
The most recent migration to West Hollywood came about after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, when thousands of Russian Jews immigrated to the city. A majority of the 5,000 to 6,000 Russian Jews settled in two major immigration waves, 1978–79 and 1988–92. Other than New York, West Hollywood's Russian-speaking community is the most concentrated single Russian-speaking region in United States.
In 1984, residents in West Hollywood organized to maintain rent control. When Los Angeles County began planning to discontinue rent controls, West Hollywood was a densely populated area of renters, many of whom would not be able to afford to keep up with the generally rapid raises in rent in the Los Angeles area. A tight coalition of seniors, Jews, gays and renters were greatly assisted by the Community for Economic Survival (CES) and they swiftly voted to incorporate as the "City of West Hollywood". West Hollywood then immediately adopted one of the strongest rent control laws in the nation.
that said "FAGOTS – STAY OUT". It was so offensive to local homosexuals that Life
magazine did an article on opposition to the sign in 1964, which included a photograph of the owner steadfastly holding on to it. The owner died in 1968, and efforts continued to have the sign removed. The Gay Liberation Front
organized a zap
of the restaurant on February 7, 1970 to push for its removal. The sign came down that day. The sign was put up and taken down several times over the next 14 years, but the practice ended in December 1984, days after the city voted itself into existence. The then-mayor, Valerie Terrigno
, the entire city council and gay-rights activists marched into Barney's and relieved the wall of the offending sign. It was held by Morris Kight
for many years and now rests in the ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives
.
A resident drew national attention during the 2008 Presidential campaign by including a Sarah Palin
mannequin
hung in effigy in a Halloween
display. The home's decorations also featured a doll of John McCain
surrounded by decorative flames in the chimney. Some residents complained about the display as a hate crime
, but the Los Angeles County Sheriff concluded the display did not violate any laws.
In March 2006, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Secret Service seized 250 fake denomination notes, each bearing a denomination of $1,000,000,000 (one billion USD) from a West Hollywood apartment.
In 2006, the City Council passed a medicinal marijuana resolution, by a vote of 4–0, making it the first city in Southern California
to adopt a lowest law enforcement priority law for cannabis offenses. The resolution stated "it is not the policy of the City or its law enforcement agency to target possession of small amounts of cannabis and the consumption of non-medical cannabis in private by adults".
operates the Cole Branch Post Office at 1125 North Fairfax Avenue and the West Branch Post Office at 820 North San Vicente Boulevard.
West Hollywood was the first city in the country to have a city council with a majority of gay members. Council member John Heilman
is the city's longest-serving council member (having served continuously since 1984) and is currently serving his seventh term as mayor. This position is mostly a ceremonial post that rotates on an annual basis among the council members. John Duran, an attorney, serves as Mayor Pro Tempore. Abbe Land, co-director of the Saban Free Clinic, was the last mayor. The most recent addition to the council is John D'Amico, who was elected in a hotly contested election. This election was covered by local and national news outlets including CNN, the New York Times, as well as the Los Angeles Times.
On February 19, 2001, West Hollywood became the second city in the United States (after Boulder, Colorado
) to change the term pet "owner" to pet "guardian" in their municipal codes. West Hollywood was the first city in the USA to enact a law banning cat declawing.
West Hollywood is located in the 23rd Senate
District, represented by Democrat Fran Pavley
, and in the 42nd Assembly
District, represented by Democrat Mike Feuer. Federally, West Hollywood is located in California's 30th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of D +20 and is represented by Democrat Henry Waxman
.
operates the West Hollywood Station.
Fire protection in West Hollywood is provided by the Los Angeles County Fire Department
. The LACFD operates Station #7, the battalion headquarters, and Station #8 at 864 North San Vicente Boulevard, both in West Hollywood, as a part of Battalion 1.
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
operates the Hollywood-Wilshire Health Center in Hollywood, serving West Hollywood.
or AIDS
. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation
parks a Mobile HIV/STD testing van outside of the city's busiest nightclubs on Friday and Saturday nights, and again on Sunday afternoons. This outreach attempts to intervene with those young people most at-risk for HIV infection. Project Angel Food
receives city funding to deliver hundreds of fresh lunches and dinners daily which are prepared under the supervision of a registered dietitian who tailors the meals to meet individual client's nutritional needs. AIDS Project Los Angeles
(APLA) is a national leader for AIDS policy and advocacy issues and provides assistance to clients navigating the maze of available public benefits. APLA also provides free dental, psychotherapy and pharmaceutical services. Aid for AIDS
provides direct financial support by assisting clients with rent, utility and pharmacy expenses. The city also subsidizes agencies that help clients train for a return to the workforce. The city permits all residents living with HIV/AIDS to have up to two pets in his or her home regardless of a landlord's specifications in the property's lease.
West Hollywood subsidizes programs for its growing population of children through a partnership with the USDA and local schools. "Healthy Start West Hollywood" is a program of the city's Social Services division that introduces pre-Kindergarten through High School age kids to the benefits of good nutrition through such activities as collective vegetable gardens and yoga.
The special needs of senior citizens are addressed through a variety of programs. West Hollywood either funds or subsidizes agencies that offer adult day care, a roommate matching service, and nutritious meals. The West Hollywood Senior Center provides recreational programs, excursions, and socializing as well as counseling and case management.
West Hollywood also seeks to address the health needs of residents who do not have adequate insurance by subsidizing the LA Free Clinic and The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center
. Residents can access free medical, dental, legal and mental health services between these two sites.
The West Hollywood's Women's Advisory Board publishes guides on sexual assault prevention, nightclub safety, and how to access rape services.
West Hollywood is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District
. The area is within Board District 4. As of 2008 Marlene Canter represents the district. Canter announced that she will not seek re-election after her term expires in June 2009.
Elementary schools that serve sections of West Hollywood include:
(Some areas jointly zoned to Rosewood and West Hollywood)
Most of West Hollywood is zoned to Bancroft Middle School. Some portions in the south are zoned to John Burroughs Middle School. Students living in the Los Angeles area known as Beverly Hills Post Office
, usually attend West Hollywood Elementary but then go to Emerson Middle School
.
There are also private and alternative schools such as Dvorsky College Preparatory on Crescent Heights, which was founded to serve the Russian speaking community.
All of West Hollywood is zoned to Fairfax High School
; some areas are jointly zoned to Fairfax High School and Hollywood High School
.
Pacific Hills School
, a private school, is in West Hollywood.
operates the West Hollywood Library at 715 North San Vicente Boulevard. The city has broken ground on a new landmark library and park renovation project.
was 18,225.6 people per square mile (7,036.9/km²). The racial makeup of West Hollywood was 28,979 (84.2%) White, 1,115 (3.2%) African American, 103 (0.3%) Native American, 1,874 (5.4%) Asian, 34 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 1,049 (3.0%) from other races
, and 1,245 (3.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3,613 persons (10.5%).
The Census reported that 34,290 people (99.7% of the population) lived in households, 109 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 22,511 households, out of which 1,141 (5.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 3,060 (13.6%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 852 (3.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 431 (1.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,094 (4.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 1,321 (5.9%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 13,434 households (59.7%) were made up of individuals and 2,606 (11.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.52. There were 4,343 families
(19.3% of all households); the average family size was 2.42.
The population was spread out with 1,578 people (4.6%) under the age of 18, 2,407 people (7.0%) aged 18 to 24, 16,228 people (47.2%) aged 25 to 44, 9,061 people (26.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,125 people (14.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.4 years. For every 100 females there were 128.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 129.9 males.
There were 24,588 housing units at an average density of 13,027.4 per square mile (5,029.9/km²), of which 4,976 (22.1%) were owner-occupied, and 17,535 (77.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.9%. 7,874 people (22.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 26,416 people (76.8%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 35,716 people, 23,120 households, and 5,202 families residing in the city. The population density
was 18,992.7 inhabitants per square mile (7,335.1/km²). There were 24,110 housing units at an average density of 12,821.0 per square mile (4,951.6/km²), making West Hollywood one of the most densely populated cities in the US. The racial makeup of the city was 86.43% White, 6.40% African American, 3.78% Asian, 0.36% Native American, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 2.87% from other races
, and 3.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.80% of the population.
There were 23,120 households, out of which 5.8% had children under the age of eighteen, 16.4% were married couples
living together, 4.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 77.5% were non-families. 60.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% included someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.53, and the average family size was 2.50.
In the city, population was spread out, with 5.7% under the age of eighteen, 6.3% from eighteen-to-twenty-four, 48.6% from twenty-five to forty-four, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was thirty-nine years. For every 100 females there were 123.4 males. For every 100 females aged eighteen and older, there were 125.2 males.
The weekend population swells to 78,000 as neighbors from nearby communities take advantage of shopping, dining and entertainment.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,914, and the median income for a family was $41,463. Males had a median income of $45,598 versus $35,750 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $38,302. About 7.3% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood. West Hollywood and the neighboring city of Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
are together entirely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Geography
West Hollywood is bordered on the north by the Hollywood HillsHollywood Hills
The Hollywood Hills is an affluent and exclusive neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, in the southeastern Santa Monica Mountains. It is bound by Laurel Canyon Boulevard to the west, Vermont Avenue to the east, Mulholland Drive to the north, and Sunset Boulevard to the south.-Hollywood Hills...
neighborhood of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, on the east by the Hollywood
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
District of Los Angeles, on the west by the city of Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
, and on the south by the Fairfax District
Fairfax District, Los Angeles, California
The Fairfax District is an area of neighborhoods in the Mid-City West area of Los Angeles, California.- Geography :It is roughly bordered by West Hollywood on the north, Highland Avenue on the east, West Hollywood and Beverly Hills on the west and Wilshire Boulevard on the south...
of Los Angeles.
The irregular border of the city is highlighted in the city logo and was largely formed from the unincorporated Los Angeles County area that had not become part of the surrounding cities.
West Hollywood benefits from a very dense, compact urban form with small lots, a mix of land uses, and a walkable street grid. Commercial corridors include the nightlife and dining focused on the Sunset Strip
Sunset Strip
The Sunset Strip is the name given to the mile-and-a-half stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through West Hollywood, California. It extends from West Hollywood's eastern border with Hollywood at Harper Avenue, to its western border with Beverly Hills at Sierra Drive...
, along Santa Monica Boulevard, and the Avenues of Art & Design along Robertson
Robertson Boulevard
Robertson Boulevard is a street in Los Angeles that also passes through the incorporated cities of West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Culver City....
, Melrose
Melrose Avenue
Melrose Avenue is an internationally renowned shopping, dining and entertainment destination in Los Angeles that starts from Santa Monica Boulevard at the border between Beverly Hills and West Hollywood and ends at Lucille Avenue in Silver Lake...
, and Beverly
Beverly Boulevard
Beverly Boulevard is one of the main east-west thoroughfares in Los Angeles, California. It begins off Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills and ends on the Lucas Avenue overpass near Downtown Los Angeles to become 1st Street...
near the Pacific Design Center
Pacific Design Center
The Pacific Design Center, or PDC, is a multi-use facility for the design community located in West Hollywood, California. One of the buildings is often described as the Blue Whale because of its outsize nature relative to surrounding buildings and its brilliant blue glass cladding.-Site and...
.
Major residential neighborhoods in West Hollywood include the Norma Triangle
Norma Triangle
Norma Triangle is a residential neighborhood in West Hollywood, California. It encompasses the area bound by Doheny Drive and Beverly Hills on the west, Sunset Blvd and Holloway Drive on the north, and Santa Monica Blvd on the south...
, West Hollywood North, West Hollywood West
West Hollywood West
West Hollywood West is a residential neighborhood in West Hollywood, California. It encompasses the area bound by Doheny Drive and Beverly Hills on the west, Melrose Avenue on the north, La Cienega Boulevard on the east and Beverly Boulevard on the south....
, West Hollywood East and West Hollywood Heights. The city breaks down eleven preferential parking zones which further define residential areas. Major intersecting streets provide amenities within walking distance of adjacent neighborhoods.
Current issues
West Hollywood also has inclusionary zoningInclusionary zoning
Inclusionary zoning, also known as inclusionary housing, is an American term which refers to municipal and county planning ordinances that require a given share of new construction to be affordable by people with low to moderate incomes...
laws governing development. The city established the Affordable Housing Trust Fund in 1986 requiring developers to either provide affordable housing in new projects or pay a fee in-lieu to the city which it directs towards other affordable housing projects.
In recent years, residential development has resulted in the replacement of existing housing with fewer, much larger and less affordable luxury units. This is counter to the city goal of increasing the availability of housing. On June 4, 2007, the city council unanimously adopted Jeff Prang and John Duran sponsored Ordinance No. 07-759U, an interim urgency ordinance (IZO) which imposed new temporary development standards in an effort to curtail this trend while developing a long term solution. PDF available www.wehonews.org Ordinance No. 07-759U.
Gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
and the scale and type of building developments in West Hollywood present ongoing issues for the city. Most recently, a proposed Walgreens
Walgreens
Walgreen Co. , doing business as Walgreens , is the largest drugstore chain in the United States of America. As of August 31st, the company operates 8,210 locations across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1901, and has since expanded...
drug store at Crescent Heights and Santa Monica Boulevard has been among the most contentious projects in recent years. The West Hollywood Gateway Project
West Hollywood Gateway Project
The West Hollywood Gateway is a small shopping center in West Hollywood, California, United States.-Description:The West Hollywood Gateway is an outdoor shopping mall developed by the JH Snyder Company. The four-story structure features two subterranean parking levels and two above-ground retail...
brought big box retailers Target and Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
to the eastern border of the city, although in a more urban footprint. This city adopted a Historic Preservation Commission in 1989.
With a socially minded population, West Hollywood adopted one of the nation's first mandatory green building
Green building
Green building refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition...
ordinances on October 1, 2007. The ordinance ensures that new buildings will be healthier for residents, and use energy and resources more efficiently.
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
, public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
and parking are critical issues in the city due to its location between access to areas such as greater Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
to the east and the area of the Los Angeles West Side, with the Hollywood Hills
Hollywood Hills
The Hollywood Hills is an affluent and exclusive neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, in the southeastern Santa Monica Mountains. It is bound by Laurel Canyon Boulevard to the west, Vermont Avenue to the east, Mulholland Drive to the north, and Sunset Boulevard to the south.-Hollywood Hills...
creating a natural impediment to the north. Santa Monica Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades...
are critical east-west arteries in the metropolitan area, and Laurel Canyon Boulevard
Laurel Canyon Boulevard
Laurel Canyon Boulevard is a major street in the city of Los Angeles, California. It starts off at Polk Street in Sylmar in the northern San Fernando Valley near the junction of the San Diego and the Golden State ) freeways. Laurel Canyon Boulevard bypasses the city of San Fernando to the west,...
is a popular shortcut through the hills. Nearly 600 employees and 260 buses in the District 7 fleet of the LACMTA
Fleet of the LACMTA
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority operates a vast fleet of buses. As of 2009, the LACMTA operated the second-largest bus fleet in North America, with a total of 2,911 buses.-Overview:...
are based in a large facility on prime real estate near San Vicente Boulevard
San Vicente Boulevard
San Vicente Boulevard is a major northwest-southeast thoroughfare located in the western portion of the Metropolitan Area of the U.S. city of Los Angeles, California....
and Santa Monica Boulevard. The development of a "pink line" subway through the city, providing a connection between the Metro Red Line and a proposed Metro Purple Line
Metro Purple Line (LACMTA)
The Purple Line is a subway line operating between Downtown Los Angeles and Mid-Wilshire/Koreatown, Los Angeles, California in Los Angeles; one of five lines on the Metro Rail System....
along Wilshire Boulevard
Wilshire Boulevard
Wilshire Boulevard is one of the principal east-west arterial roads in Los Angeles, California, United States. It was named for Henry Gaylord Wilshire , an Ohio native who made and lost fortunes in real estate, farming, and gold mining. Henry Wilshire initiated what was to become Wilshire...
is currently under study.
In 1985, West Hollywood was the first city to create a same-gender domestic partnership
Domestic partnership
A domestic partnership is a legal or personal relationship between two individuals who live together and share a common domestic life but are neither joined by marriage nor a civil union...
registration for its residents, as well as to offer same-gender domestic partner
Domestic partnership
A domestic partnership is a legal or personal relationship between two individuals who live together and share a common domestic life but are neither joined by marriage nor a civil union...
benefits for city employees. West Hollywood's comprehensive Domestic Partnership Ordinance allows those couples that are prohibited from marrying (same-sex), and those who can marry but choose not to (heterosexual), to register their union with the city. These unions are treated on an equal basis with legal marriages with respect to city-level benefits and services. In California as a whole, same-sex couples may enter domestic partnerships
Domestic partnerships in California
A California domestic partnership is a legal relationship available to same-sex couples, and to certain opposite-sex couples in which at least one party is at least 62 years of age...
which offer them all of the state rights of marriage.
Legislation prohibiting discrimination in the workplace on the basis of sexual orientation is widely recognized as the toughest in the nation. The city is also one of 92 jurisdictions in the country where it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of gender identity or expression.
City legislation also bans the sale of handguns, prohibits smoking in public places, and restricts the city from doing business directly or indirectly (via vendors) with any country known to violate human rights. Also, the city is one of 19 in California that has banned the use of gas-powered leaf-blowers.
West Hollywood is the home of about 1,000 dogs per square mile. The city designed a law that pets are to be called "companions" and their owners "guardians" and was the first city in the country to outlaw the de-clawing of cats.
In 2011, West Hollywood became the first city in the United States to ban the sale of clothing with animal fur
Fur
Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensives body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal...
.
Landmarks and distinctive places
Sunset Marquis Hotel
Sunset Marquis Hotel is a hotel in West Hollywood, Los Angeles County, California. Owned by George Rosenthal, and located at 1200 Alta Loma Road, it is situated just off the Sunset Strip, several hundred yards northeast of the Viper Room. Described by Time as "an old rock-"n"-roll hotel", it is...
with its famous 45-person Whisky Bar and a recording studio that has been home to many hits. Alta Loma Road was one of the main locations for the film Perfect
Perfect (film)
The soundtrack to Perfect was initially released in 1985 as a 12" vinyl record, and later re-released on CD.Side A#" Perfect" – 3:50#"I Sweat " – 3:54...
. Actor Sal Mineo
Sal Mineo
Salvatore "Sal" Mineo, Jr. , was an American film and theatre actor, best known for his performance as John "Plato" Crawford opposite James Dean in the film Rebel Without a Cause...
lived on this street in the 1970s; he was murdered in his carport just around the corner from Alta Loma Road on Holloway Drive.
The western stretch of Melrose Avenue
Melrose Avenue
Melrose Avenue is an internationally renowned shopping, dining and entertainment destination in Los Angeles that starts from Santa Monica Boulevard at the border between Beverly Hills and West Hollywood and ends at Lucille Avenue in Silver Lake...
, between Fairfax Avenue
Fairfax Avenue
Fairfax Avenue is a street on north central Los Angeles, California. It runs from La Cienega Boulevard with Culver City at its southern end to Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood on its northern end.Fairfax Avenue forms the western boundary of Hancock Park as well as Park La Brea, an 160 acre ,...
and Doheny Drive
Doheny Drive
Doheny Drive is a major north–south thoroughfare for Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, in the U.S. state of California. It starts a few blocks south of Pico Boulevard and travels north past Sunset Boulevard. Doheny encounters few traffic lights, making it a relatively quick north–south trip...
, is notable for its trendy clothing boutiques, interior design shops, restaurants and antique stores. The west end of Melrose Avenue, near the Pacific Design Center, is especially known for its exclusive furniture.
The area around Fountain Avenue, Harper Avenue and Havenhurst Drive contains a high concentration of landmark 1920s Spanish Revival and Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
apartment buildings by such noted architects as Leland Bryant. This historic district has been home to many celebrities and at one time the Sunset Tower
Sunset Tower
Sunset Tower, previously known as The St. James's Club, The Argyle, and The Sunset Tower Hotel, is a historic building and hotel located on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California. Designed in 1929 by architect Leland A. Bryant, opened in 1931, it is considered one of the finest examples of...
at 8358 Sunset Boulevard was home to Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, Errol Flynn
Errol Flynn
Errol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...
, the Gabor sisters
Gabor sisters
The Gabor sisters are three famous Hungarian actresses/socialites:* Magda Gabor 1918-1997* Zsa Zsa Gabor 1917-present* Eva Gabor 1919-1995...
, John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
and Howard Hughes
Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
.
Notable business and attractions in West Hollywood include:
- The famous Sunset StripSunset StripThe Sunset Strip is the name given to the mile-and-a-half stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through West Hollywood, California. It extends from West Hollywood's eastern border with Hollywood at Harper Avenue, to its western border with Beverly Hills at Sierra Drive...
- Hotels such as Chateau Marmont, Andaz West Hollywood, Chamberlain West Hollywood HotelChamberlain West Hollywood HotelThe Chamberlain West Hollywood is a hotel located in the centre of West Hollywood, California. The hotel has 113 suites, each with a private balcony and a gas-log fireplace. The suites average over and include amenities such as HD televisions, iHome docking stations and designer bath products...
, MondrianMondrian HotelThe Mondrian Hotel is the name of three boutique hotels owned and/or operated by the Morgans Hotel Group.-Mondrian Los Angeles:The original Mondrian Hotel is located on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California. The structure was built in 1959 as an apartment building. It was later renovated...
and the StandardStandard HotelThe Standard Hotel brand is a part of Andre Balazs Properties. It is a group of four boutique hotels in Los Angeles , Miami and New York.- History :... - The Pacific Design CenterPacific Design CenterThe Pacific Design Center, or PDC, is a multi-use facility for the design community located in West Hollywood, California. One of the buildings is often described as the Blue Whale because of its outsize nature relative to surrounding buildings and its brilliant blue glass cladding.-Site and...
- Elegant architecture such as The Schindler HouseKings Road HouseThe Schindler House, also known as the Kings Road House or Schindler Chace house, is a house in West Hollywood, California designed by architect Rudolf Schindler. The Schindler House is considered to be the first house built in the Modern style...
by the architect Rudolf SchindlerRudolf SchindlerRudolph Michael Schindler Rudolph Michael Schindler Rudolph Michael Schindler (born Rudolf Michael Schindler (1887 Vienna - 1953 Los Angeles) was an American, born in Austria, architect whose most important works were built in or near Los Angeles during the early to mid-twentieth century.... - Music venues such as House of BluesHouse of BluesHouse of Blues is a chain of 13 live music concert halls and restaurants in major markets throughout the United States. House of Blues first location was in Cambridge's Harvard Square. It was opened in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, star of The Blues Brothers...
, Whisky a Go GoWhisky a Go GoThe Whisky a Go Go is a nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard, on the Sunset Strip.-History:...
, The Troubadour, The Roxy TheatreThe Roxy TheatreThe Roxy Theatre is a famous nightclub, on the Sunset Strip, in West Hollywood, California. The Roxy is owned by Lou Adler and Adler's son, Nic, who operates the club.- History :...
and Viper RoomViper RoomThe Viper Room is a nightclub located on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California. It was opened in 1993 and was partly owned by actor Johnny Depp until 2004. The club became known for being a hangout of Hollywood elite, and was the site where actor River Phoenix died of a drug overdose on... - Westlake Recording StudiosWestlake Recording StudiosWestlake Recording Studios is a well-known music recording studio in West Hollywood, CA.-History:The studio was founded as Westlake Audio in the early 1970s by Tom Hidley, and is credited as "one of the first big commercial efforts to produce acoustically standardised 'interchangeable' rooms"...
, where Michael JacksonMichael JacksonMichael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
recorded the albums "ThrillerThriller (album)Thriller is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was released on November 30, 1982, by Epic Records as the follow-up to Jackson's critically and commercially successful 1979 album Off the Wall...
" and "BadBad (album)Bad is the seventh studio album by American songwriter and recording artist Michael Jackson. The album was released on August 31, 1987 by Epic/CBS Records, nearly five years after Jackson's previous studio album, Thriller, which went on to become the world's best-selling album...
" in 1982 and 1987 respectively - Celebrity hangouts such as Formosa CafeFormosa CafeThe Formosa Cafe is a restaurant and bar at 7156 Santa Monica Boulevard at Formosa Avenue, West Hollywood, California, that has a long history of patronage from movie stars and movie industry people because of its location immediately adjacent to Samuel Goldwyn Studio .The restaurant was started in...
, Whisky Bar, Rainbow Bar and GrillRainbow Bar and GrillThe Rainbow Bar and Grill is a bar and restaurant on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, United States adjacent to the border of Beverly Hills, California. Its address is 9015 Sunset Boulevard....
, Palm Restaurant: West Hollywood (not to be confused with the chain by the same name,) Dan Tana’s, The Abbey Food & BarThe Abbey (club)The Abbey is a bar and nightclub in West Hollywood, California.The bar originally opened in 1991 as a gay coffeehouse. Wanting more of an evening appeal, a bar area was made...
and Villa Nightclub - Film, television and music production including Samuel Goldwyn StudioSamuel Goldwyn StudioSamuel Goldwyn Studio was the name that Samuel Goldwyn used to refer to the Pickford-Fairbanks Studios lot and the offices and stages that his company, Goldwyn Pictures, rented there during the 1920s and 1930s...
s, Smashbox StudiosSmashbox StudiosSmashbox Studios is a premier photo and film studio in Los Angeles that regularly hosts photo shoots, film shoots, and events for photographers, producers and celebrities.-History:...
and TMZ on TVTMZ on TVTMZ on TV, or simply TMZ and TMZTV, is an American syndicated entertainment and gossip news television show that premiered on September 10, 2007. The program is generally aired on Fox, The CW and MyNetworkTV affiliates, though a majority of the stations that carry the series are Fox affiliates... - Several parks including historic Plummer ParkPlummer ParkPlummer Park is a park in West Hollywood, California, on the eastern side of the city. The east side of West Hollywood is dominated by Russian immigrants, and the park is a popular gathering place for Russians. In 2005, a controversial monument to Soviet Army dead in World War II was built in the...
- Comedy Store
- Sierra TowersSierra TowersSierra Towers is a residential high-rise condominium building in West Hollywood, California, United States located at 9255 Doheny Road, adjacent to Beverly Hills. It was designed by the renowned Beverly Hills contemporary architect Jack A. Charney A.I.A...
, tallest residential building in the greater Los Angeles area
Top employers
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ticketmaster Ticketmaster Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc. is an independent American ticket sales and distribution company based in West Hollywood, California, USA, with operations in many countries around the world. In 2010 it merged with Live Nation to become Live Nation Entertainment... |
1,300 |
| 2 | Target Target Corporation Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's... |
411 |
| 3 | Mondrian Hotel Mondrian Hotel The Mondrian Hotel is the name of three boutique hotels owned and/or operated by the Morgans Hotel Group.-Mondrian Los Angeles:The original Mondrian Hotel is located on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California. The structure was built in 1959 as an apartment building. It was later renovated... |
400 |
| 4 | The London West Hollywood | 230 |
| 5 | House of Blues House of Blues House of Blues is a chain of 13 live music concert halls and restaurants in major markets throughout the United States. House of Blues first location was in Cambridge's Harvard Square. It was opened in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, star of The Blues Brothers... |
230 |
| 6 | Dailey & Associates Interpublic Group of Companies The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. is one of the "big four" global advertising holding companies . Headquartered in New York City, it has 41,000 employees and reported full−year revenues of US$6.5 billion for 2010... |
209 |
| 7 | City of West Hollywood | 205 |
| 8 | Standard Hotel Standard Hotel The Standard Hotel brand is a part of Andre Balazs Properties. It is a group of four boutique hotels in Los Angeles , Miami and New York.- History :... |
189 |
| 9 | Gordon Ramsay at the London | 340 |
| 10 | Hyatt West Hollywood Hotel Hyatt Hyatt Hotels Corporation , is an international operator of hotels.Hyatt Center is the headquarters for Hyatt corporation... |
170 |
| 11 | Best Western Sunset Plaza Best Western Best Western International, Inc. is the third largest hotel chain, with over 4,195 hotels in nearly 80 countries. The chain, with its corporate headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, operates more than 2,000 hotels in North America alone. Best Western has a marketing program involving placement of free... |
125 |
| 12 | La Parc Suite Hotel | 105 |
| 13 | Sunset Tower Sunset Tower Sunset Tower, previously known as The St. James's Club, The Argyle, and The Sunset Tower Hotel, is a historic building and hotel located on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California. Designed in 1929 by architect Leland A. Bryant, opened in 1931, it is considered one of the finest examples of... |
100 |
| 14 | Key Club | 100 |
| 15 | Suissa Miller | 100 |
| 16 | Saddle Ranch Chop House Saddle Ranch Chop House Saddle Ranch Chop House was founded in September 1999. The vision was to create a destination restaurant, where unlike others’, guests could come for a great home-style meal and down-home hospitality and stay long after their plates had been cleared, immersing themselves in a high energy,... |
100 |
Events
The West Hollywood Halloween Carnival is an event that takes place annually on October 31. The largest HalloweenHalloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
street party in the United States (spanning over one mile (1.6 km) of Santa Monica Boulevard from La Cienega Boulevard
La Cienega Boulevard
La Cienega Boulevard is a major, well-known north–south arterial road that runs between El Segundo Boulevard in El Segundo, California on the south and the Sunset Strip/Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood....
on the East to Doheny and the Beverly Hills border on the West), the 2007 Carnival was reported to have more than 350,000 people in attendance, with some traveling from other countries specifically for the event.
Christopher Street West
Christopher Street West
Christopher Street West is the non-profit organization that produces the Los Angeles LGBT Pride Celebration held every June in its host city of West Hollywood, California, USA....
is a gay pride
Gay pride
LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity...
parade and festival that was first held in June 1970 in Hollywood to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots
Stonewall riots
The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City...
in New York. After incorporation, the event moved to West Hollywood and is typically held the second weekend in June.
The Oscars is a major event in the city with a majority of the large Academy Award party venues being located in the city. Many streets are closed and traffic swells on this day each year.
Frontrunners
Frontrunners
International Front Runners is an umbrella organization of LGBT running and walking clubs around the world. There are over 100 Frontrunners clubs worldwide, about half of which are in the United States.-Activities:...
LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
Pride Run is a 5 km/10 km run/walk held on the Sunday morning of LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
Pride.
The City of West Hollywood sponsors an animal walk and pet appreciation days throughout the year, which have in the past featured pet psychics and dog activities. During Halloween the week prior to October 31, animals can participate in a costume contest in West Hollywood Park. West Hollywood is in close proximity to Runyon Canyon Park
Runyon Canyon Park
Runyon Canyon Park is a park in Los Angeles, California, at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains, managed by the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks. The southern entrance to the park is located at the north end of Fuller Avenue in Hollywood. The northern entrance is off the...
's hiking trail and dog park in Hollywood.
Celebrities
The Elton John AIDS FoundationElton John AIDS Foundation
Elton John AIDS Foundation is one of the world's leading nonprofit organizations that was established by Sir Elton John in 1992 in the US * and 1993 in the UK * supporting innovative HIV/AIDS prevention, education programs, direct care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS.EJAF has...
Academy Awards Party has traditionally been held at the Pacific Design Center
Pacific Design Center
The Pacific Design Center, or PDC, is a multi-use facility for the design community located in West Hollywood, California. One of the buildings is often described as the Blue Whale because of its outsize nature relative to surrounding buildings and its brilliant blue glass cladding.-Site and...
. It is a multi-million dollar fundraiser for the foundation.
The issue of Paparazzi
Paparazzi
Paparazzi is an Italian term used to refer to photojournalists who specialize in candid photography of celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people...
chasing celebrities is raised regularly and the city participates in meetings with other nearby municipalities such as Beverly Hills and Los Angeles to discuss the problem and possible actions to better control the activity. The epicenter of the Thirty Mile Zone lies just blocks to the south of the city, and is the basis for the name of TMZ on TV
TMZ on TV
TMZ on TV, or simply TMZ and TMZTV, is an American syndicated entertainment and gossip news television show that premiered on September 10, 2007. The program is generally aired on Fox, The CW and MyNetworkTV affiliates, though a majority of the stations that carry the series are Fox affiliates...
, a paparazzi footage-based program produced in West Hollywood at Sunset and Crescent Heights Boulevards.
Celebrity controversies
In 1982, John BelushiJohn Belushi
John Adam Belushi was an American comedian, actor, and musician, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, The Star of the Films National Lampoon's Animal House and the The Blues Brothers and for fronting the American blues and soul...
died of a drug overdose at the elegant Chateau Marmont hotel. On the night of his death, he was visited separately by friends Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
(at the height of his own drug exploits) and Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
, each of whom left the premises, leaving Belushi in the company of assorted others, including Cathy Smith
Cathy Smith
Catherine Evelyn Smith is a occasional backup singer, rock star girlfriend, "groupie" and drug dealer, who served 15 months in the California state prison system for injecting John Belushi with a fatal dose of heroin and cocaine in 1982.Smith had been paid for a front page headline story in the...
. This is just one of many notable sordid events at the location. A 1930s movie executive reportedly said, 'If you must get into trouble, do it at the Chateau Marmont'.
In 1961, comedian Lenny Bruce
Lenny Bruce
Leonard Alfred Schneider , better known by the stage name Lenny Bruce, was a Jewish-American comedian, social critic and satirist...
was arrested on obscenity
Obscenity
An obscenity is any statement or act which strongly offends the prevalent morality of the time, is a profanity, or is otherwise taboo, indecent, abhorrent, or disgusting, or is especially inauspicious...
charges at The Troubadour in then-unincorporated West Hollywood. The arresting officer was a young deputy named Sherman Block
Sherman Block
Sherman Block was the 29th Sheriff of Los Angeles County, California from January 1982 until his death.He was preceded by Peter Pitchess and succeeded by Lee Baca....
, who would later become County Sheriff.
In 1989, actor Christian Slater
Christian Slater
Christian Michael Leonard Slater is an American actor. He made his film debut with a small role in The Postman Always Rings Twice before playing a leading role in the 1985 film The Legend of Billie Jean...
was arrested in West Hollywood for leading the police on a drunken car chase that ended when Slater crashed his car into a telephone pole.
Actor River Phoenix died of a drug overdose on Halloween morning in 1993 at the Viper Room, a club that was opened that year and was partly owned by actor Johnny Depp until 2004.
On November 17, 2006, during a performance at the Laugh Factory, a cell phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
video captured Michael Richards
Michael Richards
Michael Anthony Richards is an American actor, comedian, writer and television producer, best known for his portrayal of the eccentric Cosmo Kramer on the television sitcom Seinfeld....
shouting "Shut up" to a heckler in the audience, followed by repeated shouts of "He's a nigger
Nigger
Nigger is a noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a pejorative context to refer to black people , and also as an informal slang term, among other contexts. It is a common ethnic slur...
!" to the rest of the audience (using the word six times altogether), and also making a reference to lynching
Lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial execution carried out by a mob, often by hanging, but also by burning at the stake or shooting, in order to punish an alleged transgressor, or to intimidate, control, or otherwise manipulate a population of people. It is related to other means of social control that...
.
History
Most historical writings about West Hollywood began in the late 18th century with European colonization when the Portuguese explorer Juan CabrilloJuan Rodríguez Cabrillo
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was a Portuguese explorer noted for his exploration of the west coast of North America on behalf of Spain. Cabrillo was the first European explorer to navigate the coast of present day California in the United States...
arrived offshore and claimed the already inhabited region for Spain. Around 5,000 of the indigenous inhabitants from the Tongva Indian tribe
Indian tribe
In the United States, a Native American tribe is any extant or historical tribe, band, nation, or other group or community of Indigenous peoples in the United States...
canoed out to greet Juan Cabrillo. The Tongva tribe was a nation of hunter-gatherers known for their reverence of dancing and courage. By 1771, these native people had been severely ravaged by diseases brought in by the Europeans from across wide oceans. The Spanish mission system changed the tribal name to "Gabrielinos", in reference to the Mission de San Gabriel
Mission San Gabriel Arcángel
The Mission San Gabriel Arcángel is a fully functioning Roman Catholic mission and a historic landmark in San Gabriel, California. The settlement was founded by Spaniards of the Franciscan order on "The Feast of the Birth of Mary," September 8, 1771, as the fourth of what would become 21 Spanish...
.
By 1780, what became the "Sunset Strip
Sunset Strip
The Sunset Strip is the name given to the mile-and-a-half stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through West Hollywood, California. It extends from West Hollywood's eastern border with Hollywood at Harper Avenue, to its western border with Beverly Hills at Sierra Drive...
" was the major connecting road for El Pueblo de Los Angeles
Pueblo de Los Angeles
El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles was the Spanish civilian pueblo founded in 1781, which by the 20th century became the American metropolis of Los Angeles....
, and all ranches westward to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. This land passed through the hands of various owners during the next one hundred years, and it was called names such as "La Brea" and "Plummer" that are listed in historical records. Most of this area was part of the Rancho La Brea
Rancho La Brea
Rancho La Brea was a Mexican land grant in present day Los Angeles County, California given in 1828 to Antonio Jose Rocha and Nemisio Dominguez by José Antonio Carrillo, the Alcalde of Los Angeles. Rancho La Brea consisted of one square league of land of what is now Wilshire's Miracle Mile, ...
, and eventually it came to be owned by the Henry Hancock
Henry Hancock
Henry Hancock was a Harvard trained lawyer and a land surveyor working in California in the 1850s. He was the owner of Rancho La Brea, which included the La Brea Tar Pits.-Early life:...
family.
During the final decade years of the nineteenth century, the first large land development in what would later become West Hollywood—the town of "Sherman"—was established by Moses Sherman
Moses Sherman
Moses Hazeltine Sherman was a land developer who built the Phoenix Street Railway in Phoenix, Arizona, and later built other lines and owned property in the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood, California. He also served on the Los Angeles Water Board.At the junction of his streetcar lines west of...
and his partners of the Los Angeles and Pacific Railway, an interurban railroad line which later became part of the Pacific Electric Railway
Pacific Electric Railway
The Pacific Electric Railway , also known as the Red Car system, was a mass transit system in Southern California using streetcars, light rail, and buses...
system. Sherman became the location of the railroad's main shops, railroad yards, and "car barns". Many working-class employees of the railroad settles in this town. It was during this time that the city began to earn its reputation as a loosely regulated, liquor-friendly (during Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
) place for eccentric people wary of government interference. This town elected not to become part of the City of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, but rather, it adopted "West Hollywood" as its informal name. It remained under the governance of Los Angeles County.
For many years, the area that is now the City of West Hollywood was an unincorporated area in the midst of Los Angeles. Because gambling was illegal in the City of Los Angeles, but still legal in Los Angeles County, the 1920s saw the proliferation of many casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
s, night clubs, etc., along Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades...
(which starts in downtown Los Angeles and runs westward). These businesses were immune from the sometimes heavy-handed law-enforcement of the L.A. Police Department.
Some people connected with movie-making were attracted to this less-restricted area of the County, and a number of architecturally
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
distinctive apartment buildings and apartment hotels were built.
Eventually, the area and its extravagant nightclubs fell out of favor. However, the Sunset Strip and its restaurants, saloons, and nightclubs continued to be an attraction for out-of-town tourists. During the late 1960s, the Sunset Strip was transformed again during the hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
movement which brought a thriving music publishing industry coupled with "hippie" culture. Some young people from all over the country flocked to West Hollywood.
The most recent migration to West Hollywood came about after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, when thousands of Russian Jews immigrated to the city. A majority of the 5,000 to 6,000 Russian Jews settled in two major immigration waves, 1978–79 and 1988–92. Other than New York, West Hollywood's Russian-speaking community is the most concentrated single Russian-speaking region in United States.
In 1984, residents in West Hollywood organized to maintain rent control. When Los Angeles County began planning to discontinue rent controls, West Hollywood was a densely populated area of renters, many of whom would not be able to afford to keep up with the generally rapid raises in rent in the Los Angeles area. A tight coalition of seniors, Jews, gays and renters were greatly assisted by the Community for Economic Survival (CES) and they swiftly voted to incorporate as the "City of West Hollywood". West Hollywood then immediately adopted one of the strongest rent control laws in the nation.
Controversies
Sometime in the 1940s a sign appeared over the bar at Barney's BeaneryBarney's Beanery
Barney's Beanery is a restaurant and bar located in West Hollywood, California. It was founded by John "Barney" Anthony in 1920 along U.S. Route 66, now Santa Monica Boulevard, State Route 2, that connects Hollywood and the beach.-Summary:...
that said "FAGOTS – STAY OUT". It was so offensive to local homosexuals that Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
magazine did an article on opposition to the sign in 1964, which included a photograph of the owner steadfastly holding on to it. The owner died in 1968, and efforts continued to have the sign removed. The Gay Liberation Front
Gay Liberation Front
Gay Liberation Front was the name of a number of Gay Liberation groups, the first of which was formed in New York City in 1969, immediately after the Stonewall riots, in which police clashed with gay demonstrators.-The Gay Liberation Front:...
organized a zap
Zap (action)
A zap is a form of political direct action that came into use in the 1970s in the United States. Popularized by the early gay liberation group Gay Activists Alliance, a zap was a raucous public demonstration designed to embarrass a public figure or celebrity while calling the attention of both gays...
of the restaurant on February 7, 1970 to push for its removal. The sign came down that day. The sign was put up and taken down several times over the next 14 years, but the practice ended in December 1984, days after the city voted itself into existence. The then-mayor, Valerie Terrigno
Valerie Terrigno
Valerie Susan Terrigno was elected to the first city council of West Hollywood, California when it was incorporated in 1984. She was selected by the council to be the mayor, making her the first avowed lesbian mayor of an incorporated municipality in the United States.Her best-known action as...
, the entire city council and gay-rights activists marched into Barney's and relieved the wall of the offending sign. It was held by Morris Kight
Morris Kight
Morris Kight was a gay rights pioneer and peace activist, based in Los Angeles. He is considered one of the original founders of the gay and lesbian civil rights movement in the United States.- Early life :Kight was born and grew up in Comanche County, Texas...
for many years and now rests in the ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives
One National Gay & Lesbian Archives
ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives is the oldest Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender organization in the United States and the largest repository of LGBT materials in the world. Since 2010 ONE Archives has been a part of the University of Southern California Libraries. ONE Archives...
.
A resident drew national attention during the 2008 Presidential campaign by including a Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
mannequin
Mannequin
A mannequin is an often articulated doll used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, and others especially to display or fit clothing...
hung in effigy in a Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
display. The home's decorations also featured a doll of John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
surrounded by decorative flames in the chimney. Some residents complained about the display as a hate crime
Hate crime
In crime and law, hate crimes occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or...
, but the Los Angeles County Sheriff concluded the display did not violate any laws.
In March 2006, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Secret Service seized 250 fake denomination notes, each bearing a denomination of $1,000,000,000 (one billion USD) from a West Hollywood apartment.
In 2006, the City Council passed a medicinal marijuana resolution, by a vote of 4–0, making it the first city in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
to adopt a lowest law enforcement priority law for cannabis offenses. The resolution stated "it is not the policy of the City or its law enforcement agency to target possession of small amounts of cannabis and the consumption of non-medical cannabis in private by adults".
Local
The United States Postal ServiceUnited States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Cole Branch Post Office at 1125 North Fairfax Avenue and the West Branch Post Office at 820 North San Vicente Boulevard.
West Hollywood was the first city in the country to have a city council with a majority of gay members. Council member John Heilman
John Heilman
John Heilman is an American municipal politician and frequent mayor of West Hollywood, California.A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Heilman moved to Southern California to attend the University of Southern California Law School....
is the city's longest-serving council member (having served continuously since 1984) and is currently serving his seventh term as mayor. This position is mostly a ceremonial post that rotates on an annual basis among the council members. John Duran, an attorney, serves as Mayor Pro Tempore. Abbe Land, co-director of the Saban Free Clinic, was the last mayor. The most recent addition to the council is John D'Amico, who was elected in a hotly contested election. This election was covered by local and national news outlets including CNN, the New York Times, as well as the Los Angeles Times.
On February 19, 2001, West Hollywood became the second city in the United States (after Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
) to change the term pet "owner" to pet "guardian" in their municipal codes. West Hollywood was the first city in the USA to enact a law banning cat declawing.
Representation
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
West Hollywood is located in the 23rd Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Democrat Fran Pavley
Fran Pavley
Frances J. "Fran" Pavley is a Democratic politician who currently represents Senate District 23, including portions of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties in the California Legislature. She previously served as a California Assemblywoman and as the first mayor of the Southern California community of...
, and in the 42nd Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Democrat Mike Feuer. Federally, West Hollywood is located in California's 30th congressional district
California's 30th congressional district
California's 30th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in Los Angeles County. The district includes many of the upper-class suburbs of Los Angeles, most notably Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Calabasas, Agoura Hills,...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of D +20 and is represented by Democrat Henry Waxman
Henry Waxman
Henry Arnold Waxman is the U.S. Representative for , serving in Congress since 1975. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is considered to be one of the most influential liberal members of Congress...
.
Public health & safety
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's DepartmentLos Angeles County Sheriff's Department
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is a local county law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. It is the fourth largest local policing agency in the United States, with the New York City Police Department being the first. The second largest is the Chicago Police...
operates the West Hollywood Station.
Fire protection in West Hollywood is provided by the Los Angeles County Fire Department
Los Angeles County Fire Department
The Los Angeles County Fire Department , serves unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, as well as 58 cities and towns that choose to have the county provide fire and EMS services, including La Habra. It should not be confused with the Los Angeles City Fire Department, which serves the city of...
. The LACFD operates Station #7, the battalion headquarters, and Station #8 at 864 North San Vicente Boulevard, both in West Hollywood, as a part of Battalion 1.
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Health services to over 10 million residents in the Los Angeles County are provided by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Mental health services are provided by the County Department of Mental Health...
operates the Hollywood-Wilshire Health Center in Hollywood, serving West Hollywood.
Social services
West Hollywood, with a homosexual population of about 41% of its total population, has been disproportionately affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic which has ravaged its male homosexual population since the early 1980s. This town funds or subsidizes an array of services for those living with HIVHIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
or AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation
AIDS Healthcare Foundation
AIDS Healthcare Foundation , the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to more than 152,000 individuals in 26 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia-Pacific Region and Eastern Europe...
parks a Mobile HIV/STD testing van outside of the city's busiest nightclubs on Friday and Saturday nights, and again on Sunday afternoons. This outreach attempts to intervene with those young people most at-risk for HIV infection. Project Angel Food
Project Angel Food
Project Angel Food is a nonprofit agency whose mission is to nourish the body and spirit of men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Volunteers and staff cook and deliver free and nutritious meals prepared with love throughout Los Angeles County,...
receives city funding to deliver hundreds of fresh lunches and dinners daily which are prepared under the supervision of a registered dietitian who tailors the meals to meet individual client's nutritional needs. AIDS Project Los Angeles
AIDS Project Los Angeles
AIDS Project Los Angeles is a 5013 non-profit organization, "dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by AIDS disease, reducing the incidence of HIV infection, and advocating for fair and effective HIV-related public policy."...
(APLA) is a national leader for AIDS policy and advocacy issues and provides assistance to clients navigating the maze of available public benefits. APLA also provides free dental, psychotherapy and pharmaceutical services. Aid for AIDS
Aid For AIDS
Aid For AIDS is a California-based nonprofit organization, founded in 1983 and dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by HIV disease.-Services:...
provides direct financial support by assisting clients with rent, utility and pharmacy expenses. The city also subsidizes agencies that help clients train for a return to the workforce. The city permits all residents living with HIV/AIDS to have up to two pets in his or her home regardless of a landlord's specifications in the property's lease.
West Hollywood subsidizes programs for its growing population of children through a partnership with the USDA and local schools. "Healthy Start West Hollywood" is a program of the city's Social Services division that introduces pre-Kindergarten through High School age kids to the benefits of good nutrition through such activities as collective vegetable gardens and yoga.
The special needs of senior citizens are addressed through a variety of programs. West Hollywood either funds or subsidizes agencies that offer adult day care, a roommate matching service, and nutritious meals. The West Hollywood Senior Center provides recreational programs, excursions, and socializing as well as counseling and case management.
West Hollywood also seeks to address the health needs of residents who do not have adequate insurance by subsidizing the LA Free Clinic and The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center
Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center
The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center provides a broad array of services for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Its clinic and on-site pharmacy offers free and low-cost health, mental health, HIV/AIDS medical care and HIV/STD testing and prevention, although there are no direct...
. Residents can access free medical, dental, legal and mental health services between these two sites.
The West Hollywood's Women's Advisory Board publishes guides on sexual assault prevention, nightclub safety, and how to access rape services.
Primary and secondary schools
Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District is the largest public school system in California. It is the 2nd largest public school district in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population...
. The area is within Board District 4. As of 2008 Marlene Canter represents the district. Canter announced that she will not seek re-election after her term expires in June 2009.
Elementary schools that serve sections of West Hollywood include:
- West Hollywood Elementary School K-6
- Rosewood Avenue Elementary School K-6
- Laurel Elementary School K-7
- Melrose Elementary School K-5
- Gardner Street Elementary School K-6
(Some areas jointly zoned to Rosewood and West Hollywood)
Most of West Hollywood is zoned to Bancroft Middle School. Some portions in the south are zoned to John Burroughs Middle School. Students living in the Los Angeles area known as Beverly Hills Post Office
Beverly Hills Post Office
Beverly Hills Post Office is the name given to a section of Los Angeles, California, that lies within the 90210 ZIP code, which is assigned to the Beverly Hills Post Office. Mailing addresses with the ZIP code 90210 are written as "Beverly Hills, CA 90210", though the properties themselves lie...
, usually attend West Hollywood Elementary but then go to Emerson Middle School
Emerson Middle School (Los Angeles, California)
Ralph Waldo Emerson Middle School is a middle school in the Los Angeles Unified School District in Westwood, Los Angeles, California, USA. It was designed by famed architect Richard Neutra and was named in honor of Ralph Waldo Emerson, the American author, poet, and philosopher.The school offers...
.
There are also private and alternative schools such as Dvorsky College Preparatory on Crescent Heights, which was founded to serve the Russian speaking community.
All of West Hollywood is zoned to Fairfax High School
Fairfax High School (Los Angeles)
Fairfax High School is a Los Angeles Unified School District high school located in Los Angeles, USA, near the border of West Hollywood in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles...
; some areas are jointly zoned to Fairfax High School and Hollywood High School
Hollywood High School
Hollywood High School is a Los Angeles Unified School District high school located at the intersection of North Highland Avenue and West Sunset Boulevard in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California.-History:...
.
Pacific Hills School
Pacific Hills School
Pacific Hills School is a co-educational, college-preparatory independent school located in West Hollywood, California, serving the needs of a diverse student population in grades 6-12....
, a private school, is in West Hollywood.
Public libraries
County of Los Angeles Public LibraryCounty of Los Angeles Public Library
-Library System:The County of Los Angeles Public Library is the 4th largest public library system in the United States which serves residents living in 51 of the 88 incorporated cities of Los Angeles County, California...
operates the West Hollywood Library at 715 North San Vicente Boulevard. The city has broken ground on a new landmark library and park renovation project.
Demographics
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that West Hollywood had a population of 34,399. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 18,225.6 people per square mile (7,036.9/km²). The racial makeup of West Hollywood was 28,979 (84.2%) White, 1,115 (3.2%) African American, 103 (0.3%) Native American, 1,874 (5.4%) Asian, 34 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 1,049 (3.0%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1,245 (3.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3,613 persons (10.5%).
The Census reported that 34,290 people (99.7% of the population) lived in households, 109 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 22,511 households, out of which 1,141 (5.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 3,060 (13.6%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 852 (3.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 431 (1.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,094 (4.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 1,321 (5.9%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 13,434 households (59.7%) were made up of individuals and 2,606 (11.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.52. There were 4,343 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(19.3% of all households); the average family size was 2.42.
The population was spread out with 1,578 people (4.6%) under the age of 18, 2,407 people (7.0%) aged 18 to 24, 16,228 people (47.2%) aged 25 to 44, 9,061 people (26.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,125 people (14.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.4 years. For every 100 females there were 128.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 129.9 males.
There were 24,588 housing units at an average density of 13,027.4 per square mile (5,029.9/km²), of which 4,976 (22.1%) were owner-occupied, and 17,535 (77.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.9%. 7,874 people (22.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 26,416 people (76.8%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 35,716 people, 23,120 households, and 5,202 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 18,992.7 inhabitants per square mile (7,335.1/km²). There were 24,110 housing units at an average density of 12,821.0 per square mile (4,951.6/km²), making West Hollywood one of the most densely populated cities in the US. The racial makeup of the city was 86.43% White, 6.40% African American, 3.78% Asian, 0.36% Native American, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 2.87% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.80% of the population.
There were 23,120 households, out of which 5.8% had children under the age of eighteen, 16.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 4.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 77.5% were non-families. 60.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% included someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.53, and the average family size was 2.50.
In the city, population was spread out, with 5.7% under the age of eighteen, 6.3% from eighteen-to-twenty-four, 48.6% from twenty-five to forty-four, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was thirty-nine years. For every 100 females there were 123.4 males. For every 100 females aged eighteen and older, there were 125.2 males.
The weekend population swells to 78,000 as neighbors from nearby communities take advantage of shopping, dining and entertainment.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,914, and the median income for a family was $41,463. Males had a median income of $45,598 versus $35,750 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $38,302. About 7.3% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.
See also
- Metro Purple Line (LACMTA)Metro Purple Line (LACMTA)The Purple Line is a subway line operating between Downtown Los Angeles and Mid-Wilshire/Koreatown, Los Angeles, California in Los Angeles; one of five lines on the Metro Rail System....
- Pacific Design CenterPacific Design CenterThe Pacific Design Center, or PDC, is a multi-use facility for the design community located in West Hollywood, California. One of the buildings is often described as the Blue Whale because of its outsize nature relative to surrounding buildings and its brilliant blue glass cladding.-Site and...
- Sunset StripSunset StripThe Sunset Strip is the name given to the mile-and-a-half stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through West Hollywood, California. It extends from West Hollywood's eastern border with Hollywood at Harper Avenue, to its western border with Beverly Hills at Sierra Drive...
- Christopher Street WestChristopher Street WestChristopher Street West is the non-profit organization that produces the Los Angeles LGBT Pride Celebration held every June in its host city of West Hollywood, California, USA....
- ONE National Gay & Lesbian ArchivesOne National Gay & Lesbian ArchivesONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives is the oldest Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender organization in the United States and the largest repository of LGBT materials in the world. Since 2010 ONE Archives has been a part of the University of Southern California Libraries. ONE Archives...
- List of California public officials charged with crimes, West Hollywood
- Harold A. Henry, assured Los Angeles City Council would remain neutral in West Hollywood incorporation, 1957
External links
- West Hollywood Official Website
- West Hollywood General Plan Update (PDF)
- West Hollywood Marketing & Visitors Bureau
- Official site for gay travel in West Hollywood
- LA County Disaster Communications Service (DCS) West Hollywood Station
- The Avenues Official Website
- The Sunset Strip Official Website
- West Hollywood Daily News Website
- West Hollywood News Website
- The Sunset Strip Music Festival
- LA Pride
- West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnaval
- Official West Hollywood Filming Site
- West Hollywood Employers' Corporate Equality Index
- Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept. – West Hollywood Station
- La Cienega Design Quarter