The Hollywood sign is a global icon and magnet for travelers to L.A., who seem unwilling to admire it from afar. For the residents of the neighborhoods underneath the historic sign, the hordes of tourists bring safety and quality of life concerns.
"Those who live in the upscale hillside homes of Beachwood Canyon and Hollywoodland have long grumbled about tourists making the pilgrimage up the hill, hoping for that perfect shot [of the Hollywood sign]. But in recent years, they say, the flow of visitors has grown intolerable," reports Bob Pool.
Curving hillside roads and hiking trails are besieged by tourists and tour buses, raising safety and quality of life concerns. The City of Los Angeles has tried several tactics to staunch the flow of buses and tourists into residential enclaves, apparently to no avail. The inconveniences have reached a "tipping point", writes Pool.
"We don't condemn tourism. We appreciate the tourism industry. We enjoy this beautiful part of the city and feel that everybody should," said Alex Chavez, president of the Hollywoodland Homeowners Assn. "But it's a safety issue that we're trying to solve."
FULL STORY: Discontent brewing under the Hollywood sign
On Public Transit, Some of the World’s Best Sightseeing
From Los Angeles to Hong Kong to Sydney, the best—and the cheapest—views are on ferries, buses, trains, and gondolas.
How About a Gondola Ride to the Hollywood Sign?
Project backers are calling the idea the "Sky Line."
Lawsuit Closes Popular Hiking Trail to the Hollywood Sign
Closing today: one of the most popular hiking trails in the Hollywood Hills, another case of the antipathy between public access and private property.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research