In West Hollywood, an unfinished condominium complex at Romaine Street and Spaulding Avenue has picked up some very unofficial tenants, neighbors say. A pack of coyotes has moved into the dormant site, with residents reporting multiple animals slipping through the property and howling after dark, sparking fresh worries about pets and pedestrians. The long-stalled project is full of gaps, half-finished walls and tucked-away corners that urban wildlife can easily turn into shelter.
Video and reporting by CBS Los Angeles capture several coyotes prowling through the exposed floors of the building and along the perimeter fence. The outlet notes that nearby residents, uneasy about safety, have taken to watching the animals from the sidewalk instead of walking too close.
Local Spanish-language coverage from Univision Los Angeles pinpoints the animals at the Romaine-and-Spaulding corner and reports that construction on the condo project ground to a halt roughly four years ago. Neighbors told the outlet that some drivers now pull over to watch the coyotes, while others are far more concerned about small pets and children being anywhere near the block after dark.
Why Abandoned Sites Attract Coyotes
Vacant lots and half-built structures offer exactly what coyotes like: shelter, potential den spots and plenty of rodents and other small animals to hunt. West Hollywood officials say coyote sightings have been climbing and stress that coexistence starts with people changing their own behavior. That means not feeding wildlife, locking down trash and using hazing techniques like loud noises to keep coyotes from getting comfortable around humans. The city’s tips highlight the importance of supervising pets and flagging any troubling behavior so animal-control staff can follow up, according to the City of West Hollywood.
Site History And Stalled Development
Public records and neighborhood reporting show that the parcels on the southwest corner of Spaulding and Romaine were tied to a proposed four-story, 22-unit condominium project that ran into trouble at the Planning Commission. Coverage from WEHOonline traces the project’s path and confirms the specific lots involved. That long pause in construction has left parts of the site unsecured and, neighbors say, far more inviting to wildlife than a completed building with regular human activity would be.
What To Do If You See A Coyote
West Hollywood officials advise residents to keep their distance, never approach or feed coyotes and to keep pets indoors or on a short leash during dawn and dusk, when the animals are most active. The city also encourages using hazing techniques, such as shouting or making loud noises, to reinforce that coyotes should not feel safe getting close to people. Sightings and any aggressive behavior should be reported to the city’s Neighborhood and Business Safety Division or through West Hollywood’s service-request channels so staff and animal-control partners can respond. If a coyote appears sick or poses an immediate threat, the city recommends contacting county animal-control resources, in line with its coyote-management guidance.
For now, neighbors say they are keeping a wary eye on the roaming pack and pressing both the property owner and the city to better secure the site while the animals are still around. As CBS Los Angeles noted, having a visible coyote pack in the middle of the neighborhood has left some locals on edge and others strangely fascinated by the unexpected wildlife show.
