After reading the garden agreements and volunteering for at least 1-hour, apply to join the waitlist for a plot by using the form at the bottom of this page.
East Hollywood Community Garden Agreements
1177 N. Madison Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90029
Updated November 13, 2022
Thank you for your interest in joining the East Hollywood Community Garden. We are part of the network of gardens with the Los Angeles Community Garden Council and stewards of Tongva land.
The mission of the Los Angeles Community Garden Council (LACGC) is to strengthen communities by building and supporting community gardens where every person in Los Angeles County can grow healthy food in their neighborhood. LACGC envisions a garden network for Los Angeles where people of all ages and backgrounds live healthy, active lives in a clean environment by growing fresh food. This network fosters the meeting of people from diverse backgrounds to share experience and knowledge, promote urban agriculture and economic justice, provide leadership and job training, and grow more beautiful and sustainable communities.
East Hollywood Community Garden is adjacent to the Madison Avenue Public Park. The City of Los Angeles’ Department of Recreation and Parks owns the lot. LACGC has a lease and partnership agreement (11-1150-S6) to manage and operate the community garden from Recreation and Parks.
The community garden consists of 31 plots that are available for lease by households, a large communal and educational plot, vines, native plants, fruit trees, a shed, bicycle racks, an ADA-accessible parking space, an electric vehicle charger, and a building that serves as LACGC’s headquarters and educational center.
The garden is a shared space and so all participating gardeners must agree to these agreements as to how to maintain the garden and its shared areas as well as cultivate positive relationships between community members. Gardening here is a privilege and we expect you to respect the land, your fellow gardeners, and our neighbors. The Garden Leadership Team will review these agreements every 12 months to ensure that they reflect the specific needs of the garden.
LACGC Building and Parking Space
- The LACGC building at the community garden is only to be accessed when a LACGC staff member, board member, or representative is present. There are no public restrooms in the community garden or in the adjacent park. The nearest public restroom is at the Cahuenga Branch Library at the northeast corner of Madison Ave and Santa Monica Blvd.
- Gardeners and visitors may park in the driveway while unloading materials.
East Hollywood Community Garden Leadership Team
- Seven garden managers serve on the Garden Leadership Team in the following volunteer roles: Internal Co-Chair, External Co-Chair, Lead Gardener, Treasurer, Secretary, Volunteer Coordinator, and Outreach Coordinator
- Garden managers serve a two-year term and must be garden members with a plot in good standing.
- A new leadership team is formed at the end of odd years. Elections are held by December of odd years if more than seven garden members want to serve. Each plot may vote for up to seven members for the Garden Leadership Team. Then, the elected garden managers decide on roles and responsibilities.
- The Garden Leadership Team’s roles and responsibilities are outlined in a separate document.
Community Garden Structure
- Only one plot will be assigned per household. Multiple households may garden one plot together.
- Plots are leased for a five-year term to ensure broad community access to the garden. At the end of the five-year term, gardeners may join the waitlist. If a garden manager’s plot lease ends while serving on the Garden Leadership Team, their plot lease will be extended to the end of their leadership term.
- Plot dues are $15 per month, payable in quarterly installments of $45. Gardeners may request a waiver of dues if needed for financial hardship from the Garden Leadership Team. Plot dues paid in advance will not be returned if a gardener gives up their plot.
- Payment can be made by check payable to “Los Angeles Community Garden Council”, cash, or Venmo to the Garden Treasurer. A receipt will be issued for all cash payments. Please retain the receipt for your records.
- The plots are rented quarterly and each gardener may renew for up to five years provided they have followed these agreements set forth by the LACGC and the EHCG Leadership Team.
- Plot applications are submitted to the Volunteer Coordinator, who maintains the waitlist.
- Applicants must be 18 years old. If an applicant does not have a phone number or email, they must provide a phone number and email of a household member or emergency contact.
- Applicants on the waitlist will be assigned a plot based on the date of receipt of their application and completing one volunteer hour.
- Community members on the waitlist who volunteer at least three hours per quarter get priority on the waitlist.
- Each plot must have a household representative attend quarterly meetings at the community garden. Meetings are open to the public and all household members, volunteers, and community members are welcome to attend to share gardening best practices and build community.
- Each plot’s gardeners are required to contribute a minimum of two hours each month to maintain the communal areas of the garden. The Secretary is responsible for tracking gardeners’ communal hours.
- If gardeners have not met the above requirements, they will receive written notice as provided in the consequences section and may lose their plot lease.
- All volunteers must sign a liability waiver and record their volunteer contribution each time at the garden.
Households Plots
- Gardeners may access the garden from sunrise to sundown daily, year-round. Gardeners are responsible for locking the gate behind them. Combinations are strictly for personal use and must not be shared with others.
- Gardeners must fully plant their plot within two weeks of the plot being assigned. Plots must be fully planted year-round with at least 75 percent edible plants.
- Gardeners must keep the plot free of weeds, pests, and diseases. They must use only organic gardening materials, including only organic pest control products. Organic gardening promotes the health of our produce, soil, and fellow gardeners.
- Gardeners must hand water with a self-closing nozzle, stop watering if water runs outside the plot, and follow LADWP water restrictions. To conserve water, all soil should be covered with mulch, such as wood chips; straw; or a green, living mulch of plants to reduce evaporation.
- Plot boundaries are clearly defined and plants must remain within the boundaries of each plot. Gardeners may not plant trees in their plots or add structures higher than seven feet off the ground.
- Gardeners must keep their plots and pathways surrounding their plots clear of trash, weeds, and debris.
- Coil hoses after use near the water spigots and do not leave hoses in main pathways.
- Do not share the gate code. If gardeners are unable to tend the plot due to traveling or illness, they must arrange for someone else to tend the plot during Open Garden Hours and notify the Garden Leadership Team.
- When a gardeners’ plot lease ends or the gardener leaves, dues will not be returned. Departing gardeners may take plants from their plot and are expected to tidy their plot in preparation for the next gardener.
Shared Equipment and Tools
- Tools must be returned to their proper location after use to keep the garden and shed in a neat condition.
- Gardeners are responsible for locking the shed.
- Gardeners may not keep personal items in the shed.
- Gardeners are responsible for taking any trash or recyclables that belong to them out of the garden.
- Immediately notify the Garden Leadership Team of any water leaks or tools missing, damaged, or broken.
Mutual Respect
- Gardeners may only harvest as much fruit, vegetables, and herbs as they can carry in their own two hands from the communal fruit trees, vegetable plots, and patio herb containers and must leave some for others.
- Gardeners must not take food, plants, tools, or materials from other gardeners’ plots.
- Gardeners must not plant in communal areas without the permission of the Garden Leadership Team.
- Gardeners must not water, weed, or cultivate other gardeners’ plots without express permission from that plot’s main gardener.
- Gardeners must not use abusive or profane language or discriminate against others for any reason including but not limited to: ability, age, gender, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
- Alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs are prohibited in the garden.
- Gardeners’ guests and visitors may enter the garden only if accompanied by a gardener with a plot if outside Open Garden Hours. Guests and visitors must follow all agreements stated here.
- All children under 18 years must be supervised by a responsible adult while in the community garden.
- Possession of dangerous chemicals, harmful substances, and firearms is prohibited at all times.
- Only well-behaved pets are allowed in the garden and must be leashed at all times.
- Community events may only be held in the garden with the permission of the Garden Leadership Team.
- Headphones must be used if playing music in the garden, except for at a community event with the permission of the Garden Leadership Team.
- Gardeners may not collect money, sell produce or seeds from the garden or their plot, or organize raffles.
Safety and Vandalism
- Please report any accidents or vandalism promptly to the Garden Leadership Team.
- In case of fire or another emergency, please call 911.
- For city services including park maintenance or removal of graffiti, call 311 or (213) 473-3231, request service using the MyLA311 smartphone app, or visit https://myla311.lacity.org.
Consequences for Violating Garden Agreements
- Gardeners may be asked to leave the garden immediately for harassment, discrimination, or physical or verbal abuse of anyone affiliated with the garden.
- We operate on a 3-strikes-out policy to ensure that everyone receives fair and equal treatment and ensure we are all good stewards of the land. Any gardener in violation of the agreements will receive:
- A first written notice will be sent via email. The gardener will then have two weeks to be in good standing–fully plant their plot, remove weeds around their plot, complete communal hours, or pay past dues.
- If still in violation of agreements, a second written notice will be sent via email. The gardener will be given a deadline of two weeks to correct the violation and be in good standing.
- If the deadline is not met, a third written notice will be sent via email to inform the gardener that the plot will be reassigned. Plot dues paid in advance will not be returned.
- If a garden member does not have a phone number or email address, they must provide a phone number and email of a household member or emergency contact.
Join the Plot Waitlist and Become a Garden Member
Our 31 plots are 4 x 12 feet and rented for $15 a month. In addition to paying dues, each garden member is required to contribute 2 hours per month to the communal areas by hosting open garden hours or other tasks. Garden members share tools and supplies, can access the garden to tend their plots, and donate kitchen scraps from dawn to dusk every day. All plots are currently leased.
After reading our garden agreements, apply to be on the waitlist by volunteering for at least 1 hour. Learn about the garden, how to contribute required communal hours, and submit a plot application.
You are officially added to the waitlist when you have both volunteered one hour and submitted an application. Each quarter, you may move up the waitlist by volunteering at least one hour a month during open garden hours compared to community members on the waitlist that did not record at least three volunteer hours in the previous three months.