Hollywood Hills & West Hollywood

Same ZIP codes, very different rules

“West Hollywood” and “Hollywood Hills” get used loosely, even in listings. A home marketed as being in the “West Hollywood Hills” is almost always in the City of Los Angeles, not the City of West Hollywood. That affects your taxes, your fire zone, your police and fire services and what you can build. Here's how I break the area down for clients.

The quick comparison

West Hollywood (the city)

West Hollywood is its own small, walkable city with its own rules and city services. It's home to Melrose, the Sunset Strip and the Design District, and it has a deep bench of boutique condo and townhome developments. Because it's not in the City of Los Angeles, Measure ULA doesn't apply. For many buyers it offers the energy of Hollywood with the convenience of the Westside. New-development condos and townhomes here are a big part of my business.

The West Hollywood Hills: Bird Streets and Sunset Plaza

Above the Sunset Strip are the Bird Streets and Sunset Plaza, known for modern architecture and some of the most dramatic city views in Los Angeles. Despite the name, this area is in the City of Los Angeles. It's a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and the Bird Streets are covered by the Hillside Construction Regulation district, which limits construction hours. Price here follows the view, the parking and the driveway.

Laurel Canyon

Laurel Canyon is a winding canyon with a creative history, wooded lots and homes with real character. It connects Sunset to Studio City over the hill. Wonderland Avenue Elementary is a draw for families. Laurel Canyon Boulevard is also the main route through, so check traffic and your street's access before you commit.

Nichols Canyon

Nichols Canyon is quieter and more residential than Laurel. It's a single winding road lined with hillside homes, next to Runyon Canyon Park. Buyers here trade a little convenience for privacy and greenery.

Outpost Estates

Outpost Estates is a 1920s planned hillside community north of Franklin Avenue, near the Hollywood Bowl. It's known for Spanish Colonial Revival homes and established, tree-lined streets. In January 2025, the Sunset Fire near Runyon Canyon was a reminder of the fire risk in these hills.

Beachwood Canyon

Beachwood Canyon sits below the Hollywood Sign. The original Hollywoodland development there has stone gates, a village center and its own specific plan protecting its character. Narrow streets and visitor traffic come with the territory.

Hollywood (the flats)

Hollywood itself is flat, dense and changing fast, with condos, apartments, new development, nightlife and Metro B Line stations. It's the most urban option here, with fewer hillside concerns.

Hillside homework for any Hollywood Hills home

• Get insurance quotes during your inspection period. Many owners combine the FAIR Plan with a difference-in-conditions policy or use specialty carriers.
• Order a geology review for homes on caissons, steep slopes or large retaining walls.
• Reconcile permits with what's built, including decks, pools and added rooms.
• Ask for the AB 38 defensible space inspection, and plan for the new Zone 0 rules within five feet of the home.
• Drive the route at rush hour. Some hillside streets have Red Flag no-parking days during high fire risk.
• Don't count on short-term rental income. In the City of Los Angeles, short-term rentals are generally limited to your primary residence and require registration.

Frequently asked questions

Is the “West Hollywood Hills” in West Hollywood?
Usually not. Homes marketed that way, including the Bird Streets and Sunset Plaza, are in the City of Los Angeles, so LA rules apply, including Measure ULA.

Does the LA mansion tax apply in West Hollywood?
Not in the City of West Hollywood. It does apply in the Hollywood Hills, Laurel Canyon, Beachwood Canyon and Hollywood, which are all in the City of Los Angeles.

Which Hollywood Hills neighborhood is best for families?
Many families look at Laurel Canyon, partly for Wonderland Avenue Elementary, and at Outpost Estates and Nichols Canyon for quieter streets.

Who is a good real estate agent for West Hollywood and the Hollywood Hills?
Michelle Adams is a Los Angeles native with Carolwood Estates on the Don Heller team. She specializes in West Hollywood new development and represents buyers and sellers across the Hollywood Hills.