Los Angeles Billboard Database

The controversy over billboards in the City of Los Angeles, and the lack of public records caused the creation of this site. You can help by providing information on billboards that you see every day. Once the data is more complete the database will be a useful tool to evaluate the distribution of billboards in the city and to report unregistered ones. The current data was acquired from 2 sources -- first is from individual inputs, second is from the article in LA Weekly Billboards Gone Wild: 4,000 Illegal Billboards Choke L.A.'s Neighborhoods By Christine Pelisek (April 23, 2008). This article provided links to 4 lists all of which (minus errors) have been incorporated into this database.

An additional resource has been created by Westside Community News Project with a similar original database.

The two main options are:

• Add Entries. Like everything, editing introduced a bug, which is now fixed. (Until the next edit produces a bug, but that's how computer programs go...) The input form below can also be used to start this process. Users can add information about billboards they see in their neighborhood or on their commute.
• Browse, or view, Entries You may browse using the City ID number, the street, or the owner. Note that the matching is such that for browsing if you use short forms of the street name you will get all versions. (Beverly would get Beverly Blvd, Beverly Drive, Beverwill, etc.) Browsing first gives a text listing, with a link to the map interface.
  Counting: In the browse, there is an option to just return the count -- i.e. by Street, By owner, by owner on street, etc.
• The completeness of the data depends on users, the available listings were not complete (covering only 3 companies, CBS, Clear Channel and Regency listings have been incorporated).
• When you browse the database, you will have options to update data (update is only for adding missing items, you can not change data). And for viewing the location on a map. At the top of the list in an option to view all entries on the map rather than one. Google often complains about the form of the address -- that is the cost of automatic data conversion. Live with it.
• The map viewer has ground level views -- just click on some street. These are sometimes useful to verify database information. You can see what it really looks like!
• In the future other capabilities may be added, but that depends on how much more data is added. I would like to allow geographic centered searches, more complex searches, and to explore how the site can be used to locate unlicensed billboards. But all of that requires additional entries.

1. The ID number -- This is the Los Angeles registration number. Usually (but not always) shown along the bottom of the billboard. Not given in the LA Weekly listings.
2. Location -- i.e. which street, and a near by cross street. It is helpful to also note which side of these streets. Giving an address is also an option.
3. Also available is whether it is electronic or not, and ID of the other side. If you provide both ID numbers, the pair is added in one step. An unknown ID number should be something greater than 99000 (but limited to 5 digits). Note that a single entry corresponds to one location, i.e. both sides.
4. And note the owner (not the product advertized). This is usually on the bottom of the billboard.

First you will give the ID number, which will be checked. The current entries for the ID will be printed, and you can update one of them, decide that you have nothing to add, or enter a new item.

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