Manhattan Beach "Pink Emoji House" showcases tension between home owner's rights and the regulating influence of local government

2019-08-09T16:00:00-04:00

The group of neighbors has explored the ways it could fight to get the paint job removed, including how it could be seen as graffiti under city code, how it could violate signage laws and how it fails to fit in with the character of the neighborhood. Doll also argues that it is a public safety issue and an obvious public nuisance because of the waves of news vans and curious onlookers who have visited the narrow road to catch a glimpse of the house.

This week, media headlines were littered with coverage of the trending "Pink Emoji House" in Manhattan Beach, California, an eye-catching home painted with a pair of hilarious emoji characters. The murals may appear like any other "Instagramable" site, except this specific "beautification project" is actually the product of a neighborhood feud.

The Los Angeles Times reports, "the paint job appeared shortly after Kathryn Kidd was found in violation of the city's rental laws and was fined $4,000. Kidd told Easy Reader News that the emojis were not intended to mock Wieland (neighbor) and that although people were entitled to their opinions, she was not in violation of any laws."

Kidd told The Los Angeles Times, “I’m trying not to offend anybody,” adding, “I did it for the purpose of being happy, being positive, and I think it’s cute and quirky and kind of funny, and certainly was a time for the emoji.” Her neighbors aren't buying it, though, and are instead turning to the local city c...

Why a house in Manhattan Beach is covered in a family's memories

2016-02-10T12:33:00-05:00

After Feb. 29, when he packs the plywood portraits back into the truck and heads back to Texas, the house will be demolished and replaced by a pair of three-story condos. "It's not going to be fun when I drive off," he says, "but this is always going to be my hometown."

"Six years ago, when developers offered artist Gary Sweeney "an armored truck full of money" for his childhood home in Manhattan Beach, he turned them down. Sweeney, who currently lives in San Antonio, Texas, was content renting out the old wood-paneled beach house to surfers and letting a management company deal with repairs.

But then the airline where Sweeney worked a day job as a baggage handler offered him cash to retire. He's in his 60s now, with no children and a wife whose job as a flight attendant would make traveling the world easy and affordable. On top of that, tree roots in the yard of the house at 320 35th St. were constantly mucking up the plumbing and maintenance costs were piling high. It was time to sell. Time to retire. Time to travel and make art full-time.

Eventually the developers came knocking again and offered Sweeney "two armored trucks full of money" for the property his parents purchased for $5,400 in 1945. He accepted on one condition: He would maintain occu...

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Manhattan Beach "Pink Emoji House" showcases tension between home owner's rights and the regulating influence of local government

Why a house in Manhattan Beach is covered in a family's memories