Alphabet Streets

Nearly a third of all permits issued in the February 2026 sample went to the Alphabet Streets — more than any other neighborhood by a wide margin.

Permits issued: 29; Of 93 in the February 28, 2026 sample
Vacant lots sold: 11; As of March 31, 2026
Terrain: Flat grid; Drives engineering and review burden
Permit path: Most straightforward; Our reading, not an official classification

Why this neighborhood is ahead

The Alphabet Streets sit on a flat, regular street grid between Sunset Boulevard and the bluffs. That geometry is the single biggest reason the rebuild here has outpaced the rest of the Palisades: level lots with conventional soil conditions rarely need caissons, extensive retaining walls, or the deep geotechnical investigation that hillside parcels require.

Of the 93 rebuild permits Pali Builds reviewed in February 2026, 29 were in the Alphabet Streets — 31.2% of the total, and nearly triple the next-largest neighborhood after Via. Together with Via and El Medio, these three neighborhoods accounted for roughly two-thirds of permits issued.

The practical effect for an owner here is that a like-for-like rebuild is genuinely achievable on the expedited track. Lots are comparable to one another, which means an architect or builder working on your street has likely already solved the same setback, height and drainage questions next door.

What to expect on your lot

Uniform lot sizes and a regular grid make massing decisions simpler, but they also make deviation more visible. If you intend to build meaningfully larger than what stood before, expect neighbors and plan check to scrutinize height and setback more closely than they would on an isolated hillside parcel.

Because activity is so concentrated, construction logistics are the real constraint. Multiple simultaneous builds on one block compete for street frontage, staging area, and crane access. Builders already working in the neighborhood tend to coordinate deliveries and street closures with one another — an advantage that is difficult to replicate from outside.

Where the neighborhood stands

The Alphabet Streets are the clearest place to see the rebuild becoming physical rather than procedural. Framing is visible on many blocks, and the neighborhood contributed a meaningful share of the first certificates of occupancy issued in the Palisades.

Eleven vacant lots also sold here, tying El Medio Bluffs for second-highest. A lot sale is not necessarily a bad signal — it often means a family has decided not to rebuild and a builder or new owner is taking the parcel forward — but it does mean the block you return to will not be composed entirely of the neighbors you left.

Alphabet Streets — common questions

Why are the Alphabet Streets rebuilding faster than the rest of the Palisades?

Flat, regular lots with conventional soils avoid the caissons, retaining walls and deep geotechnical work that hillside parcels in the Highlands and Riviera require. That removes months from both design and plan check, and it makes the expedited like-for-like permit track realistic for most owners here.

How many permits have been issued in the Alphabet Streets?

In the February 2026 sample of 93 issued rebuild permits reviewed by Pali Builds, 29 were in the Alphabet Streets — 31.2%, the largest share of any Palisades neighborhood. That figure is one month of issuance, not a cumulative total.

Is it harder to build here because so many neighbors are building at once?

Permitting is not harder, but construction logistics are. Simultaneous builds on one block compete for street frontage, staging and crane access, which is why coordination between builders working the same streets matters more here than anywhere else in the Palisades.

Nearby and similar

Neighborhood figures reviewed July 27, 2026. Permit counts are one month of issuance rather than cumulative totals, via Westside Current. Nothing here is legal advice — covenant, title and permit questions should go to a qualified professional.