How can a financially strapped city approve the construction of a nearly million-dollar restroom? The issue is causing controversy in Los Angeles, where some residents are outraged by the amount allocated to this project, which resembles the famous Hollywood signs.

"This is a sensational waste of money," Shira Scott Astrof, a neighbor in the neighborhood, said on ABC's local channel Thursday.

Last year, the Democratic council approved the construction of a new $960,000 restroom at the entrance to Runyon Canyon, a popular hiking trail in the hills near the giant Hollywood sign.

The exorbitant price tag is starting to shock many residents in a financially struggling city that recently cut its firefighting budget.

Scott Weil, a member of the Runyon Canyon Guardians association, which brings together residents near the park, says he has found a contractor capable of doing the same job for half the price.

"How does a bankrupt city (...) find an extra $500,000?" he asks.

Runyon Canyon Park, which covers 65 hectares of hills, currently has outdated and often smelly restrooms.

It welcomes two million people a year, according to a spokesperson for Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

"The City of Los Angeles is committed to ensuring that all LA parks are safe, clean, accessible and enjoyable for residents and visitors," he said, without responding to AFP's questions about the cost of the project.

In 2022, San Francisco had already made headlines by approving the construction of public restrooms for $1.7 million.

The project had caused a huge controversy and the final cost was finally reduced to 200,000 dollars.