When returning to the USA, US citizens are required to fill out a written customs declaration. This form has space for a "Street Address". See a sample form.
Are US citizens legally required to fill out the Street Address portion of the form? What are the consequences of refusing to provide an address?
Arguably, no. What if you don't have an address? What if you've just moved back? They cater for that and assume you're staying somewhere - and as a result, hotel addresses are acceptable.
So if you wanted to legally dodge it without any possible problems, book a night at a hostel, and use that hostel's address on the form.
As for refusing, I've seen people try, and it doesn't work. The border guys want an address. However, it's just process - I've seen one backpacker literally turn and ask anyone behind in the queue if they know the address of a hotel, and someone named the one from Pretty Woman on Rodeo Drive. So he wrote that in, and handed it to the border guard, who shrugged, stamped, and completed the process.
