Coyotes are one of the most adaptable mammals on the planet. They can live anywhere, they can eat almost anything, they are smart, quick, and inquisitive. They also always have their eyes on the main chance, and are quick to exploit any new habitat or food source. What's more, they rival raccoons in their ability to not only live, but thrive in the close proximity of humans. Unlike their larger relatives, the gray wolves, they find human habitations very comfortable.
So, when we read about coyotes making themselves at home in empty human housing, well, the notion of coyote squatters shouldn't be too surprising.
In a region where the demand for housing outpaces its supply, a pack of coyotes have made a vacant construction site their home.
For months, residents in the dense West Hollywood neighborhood say they have complained about the coyotes. At night, the coyote howls echo through the development keeping residents awake. During the day, some dog owners say they worry about the safety of their furry companions.
Over the past week, the block has been flooded with onlookers and reporters and even a helicopter trying to capture an image of the coyotes from above. With all the attention, the pack has not been coming out as early. The howls come later and later into the night.
A group of at least six coyotes, which includes three pups, has taken up residence in an abandoned condo construction site located in the heart of West Hollywood. pic.twitter.com/wZ9FqxpboP
— DeSota (@desota) July 30, 2026
The squatting aspect may be new, but the presence of coyotes in this sprawling metropolis is not.
Across Los Angeles, coyote sightings are common. While some generally avoid human contact others can lose their fear of humans and pose a risk, especially to dogs and cats.
“The scary part is when we walk the dogs.” Jesus Zavala, a neighbor, said while walking his Chihuahua, Zoe. “They can just come out and grab dogs, especially the small ones.”
But after four or five months the coyotes are now commonplace, Zavala said, and he is no longer nervous to take Zoe out at night. Many that walk their dogs in the neighborhood look unbothered. The fire hydrants and street signs are all fully utilized.
Yes, coyotes will kill and eat small dogs, and there's an argument to be made that a coyote wouldn't view a chihuahua as a dog at all, instead as a bite-size midday snack. This isn't unique to coyotes among canids, either. In areas where wolf and coyote ranges overlap, wolves will kill every coyote they can catch. Smart, quick and canny as coyotes are, wolves are as well, and they are considerably larger and stronger.
Not long ago, RedState's own Jennifer Oliver O'Connell brought us the story of a pair of coyotes that moved in under a California couple's home and were resisting all efforts to evict them.
Imagine you are a senior citizen, and the only asset you have is the home you own. Imagine that your spouse is sick and you are their sole caregiver. Now imagine that coyotes have made their home underneath yours, bringing vermin and causing damage to the property — not to mention presenting a clear and present danger to your ability to enter and exit your property. Then imagine you try to seek help from housing management and animal control to remove the coyotes, and they essentially pass the buck or tell you to go pound sand.
In West Hollywood, though, the squatting coyotes have become something of an attraction. The local authorities have had to put up signs warning people not to feed the coyotes, and people are reportedly gathering to hear the Prairie wolves howl at night. There's a reason coyotes are sometimes called "song-dogs," but it would seem preferable to listen to them late at night while in a tent in the mountains, rather than in a West Hollywood neighborhood.
Still, this is quintessentially coyote-like. And, as human settlements continue to sprawl into historic coyote range, expect to see more four-legged squatters.
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