West Hollywood city council voted on Tuesday to adopt an ordinance that permits people in polyamorous relationships – including throuples and foursomes – to register as domestic partners, providing them with a set of municipal protections.
The measure, introduced by Mayor John Heilman, was approved unanimously by the council of West Hollywood. It allows three or more consenting adults who are not blood‑related to file a partnership registration with the city, regardless of whether they reside within the municipality.
Registered partners will gain specific rights such as hospital visitation privileges, acknowledgment by city‑run jails, and additional safeguards in housing matters. Landlords are barred from evicting or refusing to renew a lease solely because a registered partner continues to occupy the dwelling.
The ordinance stops short of equating multi‑partner relationships with marriage or traditional domestic partnerships; it does not confer the full suite of benefits that married couples enjoy under state law.
Eligibility criteria require mutual consent among all participants and a prohibition on blood relations. The registration process is also open to individuals who live outside West Hollywood but wish to obtain the city’s recognition.
Attorney Christina Fialho, who founded the advocacy group Rewrite the BiLine and originally proposed the protections in 2025, hailed the development as a major advance. Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, she remarked, “This law is just the beginning,” adding that it could enable people to envision futures previously deemed unattainable.
Supporters argue the ordinance tackles discrimination faced by non‑traditional families in areas such as housing, health care and education. Opponents, including the conservative California Family Council, have condemned the move, previously labeling support for polyamorous relationships as “cultural suicide.”
While the new policy offers limited legal acknowledgment, critics warn that without broader state or federal reforms, polyamorous families may continue to encounter significant gaps in rights and benefits.
The ordinance marks a pioneering step for municipal recognition of multi‑partner relationships in the United States, setting a precedent that other cities may observe in the coming years.