Residents Near Hollywood Sign File Complaint Over Tourist Activity

On June 10, 2026, crowds gathered at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles to enjoy a sunset view of the Hollywood sign. However, not all local residents share this enthusiasm, as many are expressing concern over increased tourist activity.

Los Angeles residents living near the Hollywood sign have formally complained about what they call excessive tourist gatherings. They claim the area has become a ‘public toilet’ due to activities they deem inappropriate. This complaint was filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court against the city, Mayor Karen Bass, and City Councilwoman Nithya Raman.

State law defines a public nuisance as something harmful to health or offensive to the senses, interfering with the enjoyment of life or property, or obstructing public access.

The complaint mentions illegal street vending, dumping, and frequent public urination and defecation on city property. Residents have noticed increased traffic, raising their concerns about potential fire risks and traffic gridlock.

Cigarette smoking near the sign poses a fire risk, despite smoking bans. Traffic congestion could impede emergency vehicles during a crisis, such as a fire.

Residents argue that city officials are to blame. They say the city promotes the area to tourists while failing to manage the resulting nuisances and safety issues. They highlight obstructions on neighborhood streets, describing them as indecent and offensive.

Former Hollywood United Neighborhood Council board member Chuck Suhayda recounts issues from twenty years ago, with tourists causing traffic jams and parking challenges in the Hollywood Hills.

Access to Hollywood Hills neighborhoods is geographically limited. Roads are winding and narrow, without sidewalks, often just 18 feet wide. These streets were more crowded after a ‘viewing site’ known as ‘Hollywood Sign Lookout’ was developed in 2011, encouraging more tourists.

Though the area is zoned as open space, it has become crowded with tourists and street vendors, impacting traffic. The city acknowledges the situation as ‘unsustainable,’ but residents feel their efforts to draw attention to their neighborhood’s significance and its views have been ignored.