West Hollywood

The area stayed unincorporated Los Angeles County for decades, which allowed the nightclubs of the Sunset Strip to operate outside city rules, before residents voted to incorporate in 1984. The new city adopted strong rent stabilization and became known nationally for its LGBTQ community, its nightlife and its design and entertainment businesses.

West Hollywood has three main sections: the Sunset Strip and the hillside streets north of it; the central and eastern blocks along Santa Monica Boulevard, the city’s main street; and the Design District and West Hollywood West on the south-west side toward Beverly Hills, with the Pacific Design Center and Melrose Avenue showrooms.

Condos and apartments are most of the market. Older courtyard and 1950s to 1970s buildings on the side streets sit alongside new mid-rise condo and apartment projects along Santa Monica, Sunset and La Brea, and prices per square foot are among the highest in the region for attached housing. The city’s rent stabilization ordinance applies to most older apartment buildings and matters to investors.

Single-family homes are concentrated in West Hollywood West, the streets south of Santa Monica Boulevard near Doheny and Robertson, and the Norma Triangle north of Santa Monica, with Spanish and traditional houses on lots of 5,000 to 6,500 square feet. A small number of hillside homes above the Strip round out the top of the market.

The city has no school district of its own; the Los Angeles Unified School District serves it, with West Hollywood Elementary inside the city and middle and high school assignments in the surrounding Los Angeles neighborhoods. Boundaries follow streets, so check a specific address with the district.

Santa Monica, Sunset and Melrose run east–west through the city, and La Cienega, Fairfax and La Brea run north–south to the 10 Freeway. The 101 is a few minutes east through Hollywood. Much of the city is walkable, with the Santa Monica Boulevard business district, the Design District and the Strip within a short distance of most homes, and the city runs its own local shuttle and bike-share programs.