It is no surprise that in Los Angeles, pool construction, like so many other things, varies depending on the district. Although the entire city scorches in the heat in summer, some of the wealthier areas offer the most waterfront recreation.

An analysis of permits issued by the city’s Department of Building and Safety shows that the gap may be even wider than many people realize. The city has 114 neighborhoods. During the period from January 1, 2020 to July 31, 2024, a total of 11,729 permits for swimming pools (and spas) were issued, according to publicly accessible department data.

(With the Crosstown Neighborhood Newsletter you receive information about crime, housing situation and other data about your place of residence.)

More than half of these projects were located in just 12 neighborhoods on the West Side and in the San Fernando Valley. If you include three more neighborhoods, the share rises to 57%.

Some of these are enclaves for Los Angeles’ wealthiest residents. These include Brentwood (593 permits issued during the period) and Pacific Palisades (553).

Even more common are less affluent (but still economically comfortable) communities known for single-family homes on large lots. Since 2020, 765 pool permits have been issued in Sherman Oaks, more than any other neighborhood (a permit does not guarantee that a pool will ultimately be built). The next highest number is the 726 permits issued in Chatsworth.

“These are areas with money,” admitted Doran Toledano, owner of the Sherman Oaks-based Aqua Pool and Spa Construction.

Toledano, who has been in the pool business for more than 25 years, said many of his Valley projects are for newly built homes, often in gated communities. Residents take advantage of the amenity, but there are long-term benefits, too.

“Ultimately, it’s harder to sell a house in LA without a pool,” Toledano said.

Prices and power lines

Factors such as size, location and materials affect the price of building a pool. Various local pool construction companies estimate the cost of an average-sized project to be between $80,000 and $150,000. More elaborate and larger designs can cost over $400,000.

Just as striking as the approval numbers at the upper end of the spectrum are those at the lower end. In many densely populated areas in the center, south and east of the city, hardly any swimming pools are being built.

Between January 1, 2020 and July 31, 2024, nine permits were issued for pool projects in East Hollywood. Although Boyle Heights has 76,500 residents (according to the LA County Department of Public Health) is similar to the 85,000 residents of Sherman Oaks, who The Eastside community recorded only five permits during this period.

Historic South-Central received two permits during this period. Other South LA neighborhoods, including Florence, Harvard Park and Vermont Vista, received only one permit each.

Price and income are not the only factors that determine who gets a pool. Lot sizes in the Valley and on the West Side are often larger than in other parts of the city. If a home occupies a large portion of a lot’s footprint, a splash zone may not be practical.

There are also infrastructure challenges. Regulations prohibiting the construction of water bodies under high-voltage power lines limit construction in certain neighborhoods, particularly those with smaller plots of land.

Gaining distance from the peaks of the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic initially brought many construction projects to a halt. But as people spent extended periods of time indoors, numerous DIY projects were launched.

The development of swimming pools quickly gained momentumwith people taking advantage of the rising value of their homes. “Everyone had money to refinance and take equity out of their home,” Toledano said.

In 2021, a total of 2,857 pool permits were issued in Los Angeles, according to city data. That was the highest level in more than a decade, and the number continued to rise in 2022.

The number fell to 2,560 last year, on par with 2018.

One reason for the decline could be rising costs. According to Toledano, construction prices have doubled since 2017, with material prices and inflation playing a role.

“Pool plumbing supplies are at least two to three times more expensive,” he said. “Products, labor; we’re literally being attacked from everywhere.”

But returning to pre-COVID pace is a lot different than stopping, and Toledano said his company remains busy. The permitting activity shows that lots of people are building the typical Southern California amenity – just in select neighborhoods.

How we did it: We examined publicly available approval data from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety from 1 January 2017 to 31 July 2024. We base our calculations on the data the agency makes publicly available. The agency may update previous permit applications with new information or recategorize previous permits. These revisions do not always automatically become part of the public database.

Do you have any questions about Our data or would you like to know more? Write to us [email protected].