About West Hollywood

The City of West Hollywood is like no other city in the world. In 1984, the idea for the City of West Hollywood was proposed by an unlikely coalition of LGBTQ activists, seniors, and renters. These groups came together to advocate for cityhood.

Through tireless determination, the City of West Hollywood was officially incorporated as an independent City on November 29, 1984. Previously, West Hollywood had been an unincorporated section of Los Angeles County. The first West Hollywood City Council in 1984 established West Hollywood as the first City in the nation to have a majority openly LGBTQ+ governing body.

Located in the heart of metropolitan Los Angeles, at 1.9 square miles, West Hollywood is a robust economic and cultural center instilled with idealism and creativity. West Hollywood shares boundaries with the cities of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. West Hollywood has a Council-Manager form of government with five elected members of the City Council. Law enforcement is provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and fire protection is provided by the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

A spirit of community activism and civic pride thrives in West Hollywood for many of its approximately 35,000 residents. For more than four decades, West Hollywood has been one of the most influential small cities in the nation; no other city of its size has had a greater impact on the national progressive public policy agenda.

More than 40% of West Hollywood’s residents identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. West Hollywood is also home to a thriving community of approximately 4,000 people from regions of the former Soviet Union — this represents approximately 11 percent of the City’s population.

West Hollywood has set new standards for other municipalities, not only as a leader in many critical social movements – including HIV and AIDS advocacy; affordable and inclusionary housing; LGBTQ+rights, civil rights, and human rights; women’s rights; protection of the environment; and animal rights – but also in fiscal responsibility; city planning; infrastructure; social services programs; wellness and recreation programs; older adult services and aging-in-place programs; public and community arts; community engagement; and innovation.

The City’s advocacy and services priorities are reflected in the City’s core values, which include: respect and support for people; responsiveness to the public; idealism, creativity, and innovation; quality of residential life; promotion of economic development; public safety; and, responsibility for the environment.

The City of West Hollywood is filled with rich history. People from all over the globe visit West Hollywood for its iconic destinations such as The Sunset Strip for its unparalleled historical connection to music, entertainment, architecture, fashion, and culture-making; for Santa Monica Boulevard’s historic LGBTQ destinations and entertainment establishments; and for the Design District’s shopping, galleries, and restaurants.

Land Acknowledgement

The land that is currently known as the City of West Hollywood is on the ancestral, and unceded homelands of the Gabrieleño Tongva and Gabrieleño Kizh (pronounced “Keesh”) peoples. The Tongva and Kizhare the original peoples of Tovaangar, which includes Los Angeles County, Riverside County, West San Bernardino County, parts of Orange County and the four Southern Channel Islands. We acknowledge that the City of West Hollywood is built upon and has benefited from their land stewardship over many generations. We pay our respects to the Tongva and Kizh ancestors, elders, and relatives past, present, and emerging. We recognize the Tongva and Kizh peoples who are still here, and we commit ourselves to honoring and uplifting their stories and culture. We seek to build a restorative relationship with people and place which requires dedication to reciprocity, co-stewardship, repair, and rematriation.

Citywide Organizational Equity Statement

The City of West Hollywood is committed to fostering a thriving, inclusive community. We acknowledge the systemic barriers and historical injustices that have impacted marginalized populations, including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, displaced, disabled, and aging communities. We are committed to actively dismantling these barriers through intentional practices and systemic change. Together, we strive to uphold equity as the foundation of our policies, practices, and vision for West Hollywood’s future.