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A Neighborhood Reinvestment Program exploring a long-term, community-led approach to funding real change for our iconic neighborhood.

The Truth Behind the Scenes

Hollywood Can’t Run on Name Recognition Alone.

  • It needs cleaner, safer, brighter streets, not conditions people have learned to tolerate.
  • It needs aging infrastructure repaired or replaced, not patched and forgotten.
  • It needs vacant storefronts filled and private investment encouraged, not decline accepted as inevitable.
  • It needs businesses, small and large, to be able to thrive, not just survive.
  • It needs activation and beautification that bring energy to the neighborhood, not a quiet existence.
  • It needs a creative economy that keeps Hollywood alive, not just remembered.

And just as important, it needs the ability to maintain progress once it’s made. Too often, improvements come as short-term fixes, rolled out, celebrated, and never fully sustained.

Hollywood Needs All of Us.

The challenges are real, but so are the choices.

Hollywood Scene Change: A Neighborhood Reinvestment Program is how we’re exploring sustainable, community-led ways to move forward together. Scroll down to learn more about the approach.

Understanding the Program

Why Now?

Since early 2024, The Hollywood Partnership (THP) and the Hollywood Partnership Community Trust (HPCT) have been exploring long-term funding options to strengthen services and stewardship within the Hollywood Entertainment District. Over time, the level of investment and care needed to support this iconic area has not consistently kept pace, creating a growing gap between what people expect from Hollywood and what they experience on the ground. Based on early stakeholder feedback on this effort, the work has been refined into a clear path forward.

While Hollywood is often spoken about as a whole, THP’s role is focused on the Hollywood Entertainment District, where enhanced services, maintenance, and public-realm improvements are delivered.

What Is the Neighborhood Reinvestment Program?

The Neighborhood Reinvestment Program (NRP) brings together two complementary funding tools designed to work in tandem, supporting a unified, long-term approach to investment, services, and neighborhood care.

1

Hollywood Tourism Improvement District (HTID)

A tourism-based assessment district that generates revenue from visitor-serving businesses to fund enhanced services, marketing, and public-realm improvements that support Hollywood’s role as a global entertainment destination.

2

Hollywood Entertainment District (HED) PBID Early Renewal

A property-based business improvement district renewed early to align with HTID planning, supporting coordinated service delivery, unified community outreach, and a comprehensive long-term vision for the neighborhood.

Together, these programs form the Neighborhood Reinvestment Program (NRP): A coordinated framework enabling comprehensive vision-setting, revenue forecasting, service planning, and community engagement for Hollywood’s future.

What This Enables

What Sustainable Funding Makes Possible

Sustainable funding gives Hollywood the ability to match the intensity of daily use—by strengthening core services and creating real capacity for district improvements that are difficult to sustain with today’s baseline resources.

Tier 1: Strengthening the services that matter most

The first priority of sustainable funding is to significantly expand the core services that already play a critical role in Hollywood today— particularly safety and cleaning.

Safety

Expanded presence, faster response, and stronger coordination to match daily activity.

Cleaning

Increased frequency and coverage for a high-traffic, 24/7 destination.

Tier 2: Going beyond today’s baseline

Sustainable funding creates room to expand work that is currently limited by available resources.

Economic Development and Business Vitality

A dedicated economic development function focused on storefront activation, tenant recruitment, and long-term business health—moving beyond reactive vacancy management to a proactive, district-wide strategy.

Marketing, Communications, and Tourism

Expanded brand, destination, and tourism marketing that reflects Hollywood’s scale and reach—supporting visitor demand, investment, and major activations.

District Modernization and Signage

Advancing updates to the Hollywood sign code to support modern signage and visibility along Hollywood Boulevard, paired with the ongoing management needed to ensure quality and consistency over time.

Visitor Services and Public Restrooms

Supporting the operation and maintenance of Hollywood’s first dedicated visitor center and public restroom facility—critical destination infrastructure that requires sustained funding to function safely and reliably.

Arts, Culture, and Public Realm Activation

Activating streets and public spaces through special events and public art—creating energy, pride, and shared experiences throughout the district.

Hospitality and Welcome Services

Reintroducing and growing a dedicated hospitality program. In previous years, this team was reduced as funding shifted to cover safety and cleaning needs. Scene Change allows this work to return and grow.

Have Questions or Feedback?

We want to hear from you. The Hollywood Partnership is committed to transparency and open communication throughout the Scene Change process. If you have questions, feedback, or want to learn more, reach out anytime.

Email The Hollywood Partnership
How We Get There

Timeline: From Exploration to Action

A transparent look at how research, feedback, and planning have shaped the current proposal.

Completed
Current
Next
Early 2024

Initial Exploration Begins

THP and HPCT begin exploring formation of a Tourism Improvement District (HTID).

September 2025

Board Reviews Initial Draft Framework

The Board reviews an initial framework and advances it for refinement and stakeholder engagement.

Fall 2025

Stakeholder Feedback Shapes the Approach

Stakeholder feedback helped shape a revised approach grounded in community priorities.

Q1 2026

Regroup and Prepare the Dual-Funding Framework

This phase focuses on regrouping and preparing the framework for the updated dual-system approach—aligning assumptions, service planning, and outreach materials so the next phases can move forward with clarity.

Early 2024

Initial Exploration Begins

THP and HPCT begin exploring formation of a Tourism Improvement District (HTID).

September 2025

Board Reviews Initial Draft Framework

The Board reviews an initial framework and advances it for refinement and stakeholder engagement.

Fall 2025

Stakeholder Feedback Shapes the Approach

Stakeholder feedback helped shape a revised approach grounded in community priorities.

Q1 2026

Regroup and Prepare the Dual-Funding Framework

This phase focuses on regrouping and preparing the framework for the updated dual-system approach—aligning assumptions, service planning, and outreach materials so the next phases can move forward with clarity.

Have Questions or Feedback?

We want to hear from you. The Hollywood Partnership is committed to transparency and open communication throughout the Scene Change process. If you have questions, feedback, or want to learn more, reach out anytime.

Email The Hollywood Partnership
Benchmark Comparisons ✦

How Hollywood Stacks Up

Hollywood’s public-realm needs have outpaced available funding. To understand the scale of the gap and what it takes to deliver a competitive visitor and resident experience, we compared Hollywood to peer improvement districts and to neighboring cities that compete for residents, investment, and visitor spending.

Purpose of the Comparison

This analysis is intended to clarify how Hollywood’s role as a destination aligns with the resources currently available to support that role.

  • District Investment Context How Hollywood’s current district-level investment compares to peer districts that manage similarly intensive public-realm environments.
  • City Service Starting Point How the City of Los Angeles service baseline compares to neighboring cities with stronger per-capita resourcing, which establishes the level of service Hollywood starts from.
  • Service Gap Implications Whether Hollywood begins from a lower baseline, meaning district funding must first close a gap before a competitive experience can be delivered.

Methodology and Selection Criteria

To ensure comparisons are meaningful, the analysis was structured around three lenses that reflect how public-realm services are funded and delivered.

  • Benchmark Improvement Districts Selected districts share comparable public-realm operating models, including entertainment districts and industry-centered districts that attract tourism while serving residents and workers.
  • Scaled Annual Investment Measures Investment was evaluated using total budgets and scaled measures such as per square mile and per visitor to account for differences in size and intensity of use.
  • Neighboring Municipal Service Baselines Los Angeles was compared to nearby cities using per-capita spending levels to understand baseline service differences before district-level investment is added.

The sections below present the supporting analysis, beginning with district comparisons and then moving to Los Angeles versus neighboring cities to contextualize baseline public service levels.

How Hollywood Compares to Benchmark Improvement Districts

Annual Operating Budget Comparison

Benchmark districts with comparable public-realm, entertainment, and tourism-driven models.

Times Square, New York, NY$29.5M
0.20 sq mi • 102.6M people / year
$147.7M / sq mi $0.29 / person
Downtown Manhattan, New York, NY$24.1M
0.29 sq mi • 75.7M people / year
$83.3M / sq mi $0.32 / person
Downtown San Diego, CA$19.5M
2.30 sq mi • 10.2M people / year
$8.5M / sq mi $1.91 / person
Downtown Washington, DC$16.9M
1.00 sq mi • 8.9M people / year
$16.9M / sq mi $1.90 / person
Downtown Nashville, TN$15.5M
2.07 sq mi • 14.0M people / year
$7.5M / sq mi $1.10 / person
Downtown Austin, TX$14.8M
1.60 sq mi • 52.7M people / year
$9.2M / sq mi $0.28 / person
Union Square, San Francisco, CA$11.5M
0.26 sq mi • 22.5M people / year
$44.3M / sq mi $0.51 / person
Chicago Loop, IL$5.6M
1.10 sq mi • 20.1M people / year
$5.1M / sq mi $0.28 / person
Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA (Current Assessment) $8.7M
1.41 sq mi • 34.5M people / year
$8.9M / sq mi $0.36 / person
Hollywood Scene Change Target $25–30M
Target range to reach peer-level service delivery

Investment per Square Mile

Hollywood
$8.9M
Peer Average
$40.3M
78% below peer average
Leading Example Times Square: $147.7M / sq mi

Investment per Person Served

Hollywood
$0.36
Peer Average
$0.82
56% below peer average
Leading Example Downtown San Diego: $1.91 / person
What This Means
$0.82

Peer-level service averages about $0.82 per person served annually across benchmark districts.

34.5M

Hollywood serves roughly 34.5 million people per year across visitors, residents, and daily users.

$25–30M

Using the peer benchmark at Hollywood’s scale yields about $28.3M, which supports a $25–30M annual target for peer-level service delivery.

City of Los Angeles vs. Neighboring Cities

Hollywood functions like a small city, serving a massive daily population and supporting a resident base comparable to nearby municipalities. But Hollywood is a neighborhood within Los Angeles, not its own city. That means core public services are funded through Los Angeles’ citywide budget, and Hollywood receives only a portion of those resources despite the intensity of use and demand placed on this area.

General Fund Budget per Capita

These municipalities compete with Hollywood for residents, business investment, and visitor spending. Population and land area are shown for context.

Beverly Hills$9,266
Population: 32,701 • 5.71 sq mi
$53,064,176 / sq mi $9,266 / person
Santa Monica$5,826
Population: 93,076 • 8.42 sq mi
$64,402,697 / sq mi $5,826 / person
West Hollywood$4,568
Population: 35,757 • 1.89 sq mi
$86,429,933 / sq mi $4,568 / person
Culver City$4,509
Population: 40,779 • 5.11 sq mi
$35,985,012 / sq mi $4,509 / person
Pasadena$4,015
Population: 133,560 • 22.96 sq mi
$23,356,707 / sq mi $4,015 / person
Los Angeles $2,945
Population: 3,820,914 • 469.10 sq mi
$23,986,668 / sq mi $2,945 / person
Overall General Fund Resourcing
Los Angeles
$2,945
per person
Neighboring Cities Avg
$5,637
per person
This establishes the baseline. When citywide per-person resourcing is lower than neighboring municipalities, neighborhood service levels start at a deficit before any local supplemental services are added.
Leading example: Beverly Hills ($9,266 per person)
48% below neighboring cities
Safety Expenditures
Los Angeles
$1,076
per person
Neighboring Cities Avg
$2,425
per person
Leading example: Beverly Hills ($5,172 per person)
56% below neighboring cities
Cultural Expenditures
Los Angeles
$230
per person
Neighboring Cities Avg
$912
per person
Leading example: Beverly Hills ($1,981 per person)
75% below neighboring cities

The Case for Local Investment

Hollywood cannot rely on City of Los Angeles general fund allocations alone to remain competitive with peer districts and neighboring municipalities.

An annual operating range of $25 million to $30 million achieved through local, sustainable funding mechanisms enables Hollywood to deliver a visitor and resident experience comparable to established benchmarks.

This investment is not aspirational. It is necessary.

Have Questions or Feedback?

We want to hear from you. The Hollywood Partnership is committed to transparency and open communication throughout the Scene Change process. If you have questions, feedback, or want to learn more, reach out anytime.

Email The Hollywood Partnership
Hollywood Scene Change

Stakeholder Survey Results

Stakeholders shared feedback on current conditions, audience experience, and priorities for improving Hollywood’s public realm. The results highlight clear patterns—both in the challenges people are experiencing and the work they believe is most important moving forward.

No Excellent Ratings

Current conditions scored 3 (Okay) or less on all factors; most averaged 2 (Poor).

Poor Experiences

No audience segment was perceived to have a Good or Excellent experience.

High Importance

All initiatives averaged 4 (Slightly Important) on a 5-point scale.

Resource Disconnect

Stakeholders align on challenges but differ on the scale and source of resources needed.

Current Conditions Assessment

Stakeholders rated factors on a scale from 1 (Terrible) to 5 (Excellent). Not a single factor received an average rating of 4 (Good) or higher.

1 — Terrible

2 factors

  • Public Restrooms
  • Vacant / Neglected Buildings

2 — Poor

17 factors

  • General Cleanliness
  • Condition of Sidewalks
  • Condition of Streets
  • Litter / Trash
  • Unhoused Individuals / Encampments
  • Street Vending
  • Graffiti
  • Parking
  • Visitor / Customer Foot Traffic
  • Vehicular Traffic
  • Public Art
  • Trees / Landscaping
  • Community Events / Programming
  • Restaurant Options
  • Retail Options
  • Permitting / Zoning Regulations
  • Public Safety

3 — Okay

3 factors

  • Lighting
  • Entertainment Options
  • Hotel / Lodging Options

Overall Experience by Audience

Stakeholders assessed how five key audiences currently experience Hollywood. The pattern is consistent: most audiences are perceived as having a Poor or Terrible experience.

TouristsPercent of responses
46%
25%
21%
7%
Business Owners / OperatorsPercent of responses
45%
24%
21%
10%
ResidentsPercent of responses
30%
33%
27%
10%
Customers / PatronsPercent of responses
3%
31%
31%
24%
10%
EmployeesPercent of responses
7%
18%
39%
25%
11%
Don’t Know
Terrible (1)
Poor (2)
Okay (3)
Good (4)

Top Challenges & Strengths

Stakeholders were given the opportunity to share open-ended responses about the #1 factor influencing Hollywood today, and clear patterns emerged—both negative and positive.

Top Negative Factors
Homelessness13
Safety / Crime7
Cleanliness6
Vacancies / Poor Building Condition5
Lack of Vitality / Unwelcoming3
Lack of Businesses3
Drugs2
Street Vending2
Top Positive Factors
Brand Recognition / Perceptions8
Entertainment Options5
BID Efforts4
Real Estate Developments4
History3
Street Cleaning2
Public Safety1
Entertainment Industry1

Initiative Priorities

All 18 proposed initiatives averaged a rating of 4 (Slightly Important) on a 5-point scale from Very Unimportant (1) to Very Important (5). This uniformity suggests stakeholders view comprehensive action as necessary.

Improving Public Safety
Improving Cleanliness
Improving Visitor Amenities
Address Homelessness / Mental Health
Addressing Street Vending
Improving Vehicular Traffic / Parking
Increasing Visitor / Customer Foot Traffic
Increasing Neighborhood Beautification
Increasing Gathering Spaces
Increasing Community Events / Programming
Addressing Storefront Vacancies
Addressing Neglected Buildings
Increasing Marketing / Promotion
Improving Business Mix / Offerings
Improving Permitting / Zoning / Regulation
Increasing City / County / State Advocacy
Increasing Business Support Program
Improving Walkability
All initiatives rated 4 — Slightly Important (on a scale of 1–5).

The Disconnect

Stakeholders strongly agree on Hollywood’s challenges: poor conditions, negative experiences across all audiences, and the importance of comprehensive initiatives.

Yet there remains a disconnect on the scale and source of resources needed to address these challenges effectively.

This gap between consensus on problems and alignment on solutions underscores the urgency of Scene Change: to establish a sustainable, local funding mechanism at a scale that matches the scope of the challenge.

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Have Questions or Feedback?

We want to hear from you. The Hollywood Partnership is committed to transparency and open communication throughout the Scene Change process. If you have questions, feedback, or want to learn more, reach out anytime.

Email The Hollywood Partnership
Hollywood Scene Change

About The Hollywood Partnership

The Hollywood Partnership (THP) is the nonprofit that helps keep the Hollywood Entertainment District clean, safe, and welcoming. Here is how the organization is structured and what the team delivers every day in the public realm.

Who We Are

The Hollywood Partnership (THP) is a nonprofit organization that helps keep the Hollywood Entertainment District clean, safe, and welcoming. We’re the people who look after Hollywood’s public spaces, from the sidewalks on the Walk of Fame to the medians, street trees, and plazas that make this place iconic.

How We Are Funded

Our work is funded by property owners within the district who pay an annual assessment based on their property’s size and location. These funds, known as the Property-Based Business Improvement District (PBID), total about $8.9 million per year and are reinvested directly into Hollywood to improve the experience for everyone who lives, works, and visits here.

How We Are Governed

THP is guided by a volunteer Board of Directors made up of local property owners, business leaders, and community representatives. This board decides how assessment funds are spent, sets priorities, and ensures accountability for how the district is managed.

What We Do Every Day

THP’s work focuses on four main goals that keep Hollywood thriving.

Place Management

THP’s Place Management program keeps Hollywood clean, safe, and welcoming through around-the-clock care and on-demand non-emergency assistance.

Key activities
Cleaning Safety Rapid Response Community Coordination

Place Enhancement

THP’s Place Enhancement program invests in the beauty and vitality of Hollywood through planting trees, landscaping medians, painting light poles, curbs, and street furniture, facilitating public art projects, and more.

Key activities
Streetscape Restoration Landscaping Public Art Curb Painting

Stakeholder Engagement

THP’s Stakeholder Engagement goal strengthens connection and understanding in Hollywood by serving as the district’s primary information source, managing digital channels, leading communications, and energizing the streets through events like LA Pride and live concerts.

Key activities
Marketing Communication Branding Special Events

Advocacy & Economic Development

THP’s Advocacy & Economic Development goal drives growth and investment in Hollywood by producing key projects like Market Reports, Data Dashboards, Business Resources Kits, and Retail & Development Tracking that help inform decisions and promote the district’s economic vitality.

Key activities
Research & Data Business Support Market Analysis District Advocacy

Have Questions or Feedback?

We want to hear from you. The Hollywood Partnership is committed to transparency and open communication throughout the Scene Change process. If you have questions, feedback, or want to learn more, reach out anytime.

Email The Hollywood Partnership