Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, is taking bold steps to halt more million-dollar homes from sliding toward the ocean.
The city, 30 miles south of Los Angeles, has approved a comprehensive and expensive study to look at how stormwater flows into the area and if that water can be redirected elsewhere, according to LAist.
When stormwater seeps into the bentonite clay underneath and collects in the ground, the clay becomes slippery, causing the land to slip and slide, said the outlet.
The land movement has been concentrated in a wealthy enclave of the city called Portuguese Bend, on the cliffs, with some places now sliding up to 4 feet per month.
Homes in the area have a $1,450,000 median price tag, according to Realtor.com® data.
On Tuesday, the city council approved a measure to commission the study, which could cost residents $1.2 million. FEMA could end up reimbursing 70% of that cost, but only after an audit.
“ For the last 40 years, we’ve been basically taking water out of our basement by need to survive. And in different versions of that, we’ve had different levels of success, mostly tied to how much rainfall,” Councilmember Stephen Perestam said at the council meeting.
“For the first time, we’re actually gonna take this step. We’re gonna go look at the whole move, what’s causing us to keep shoveling out the water out of our basement.”
The city had already adopted an ordinance to permanently ban new residential construction in the landslide area, including home additions, which became effective Sept. 18.
From now on, owners are only allowed to replace, restore, and repair development within their property’s existing footprint, said the council.
The Portuguese Bend area of the city has been in trouble for decades, but land movement dramatically increased in 2023 and 2024 due to heavy rains from remnants of Hurricane Hilary.
Dozens of homes were damaged or “red tagged”—declared unsafe—and other infrastructure was damaged resulting in gas and electricity shut-offs.
Since October 2022, the city has spent $48 million to control the problem, including a $42 million buyout program to help residents relocate.
An addtional $18.6 million was allocated for more repairs and attempts to shore up the area. The city only has a $40 million annual budget in total.
At the city council meeting, Civic Center Advisory Committee member Mickey Rodich criticized the city council and mayor.
“There are millions of dollars being spent,” he told the three-person council and Mayor David Bradley. “But how is it being managed? Are any of these contracts negotiated? No. What happens if we have some heavy, rainy winters? Do we have a Plan B? No.”
“I think the city is making a big mistake when they declare an emergency and award no-bid contracts,” he said of the latest funding approval.
“We are paying dearly for this,” he said. “I think we’re spending millions of dollars foolishly.”
Realtor.com reached out to Rodich.
Million-dollar homes for sale
In March, there were 200 active listings in the area but only six mentioned being affected by land movement.
In one case, the owner of a home listed earlier this year “fought back” against the landslide and appears to have won—sort of.
“Recent conditions have changed and land movement has swept through much of the area,” the listing acknowledged.
The Tuscan-style five-bedroom, five-bath, 4,000-square-foot estate sits on slightly over an acre of land overlooking the ocean.
“The owner has fought back, having helical piers recently installed,” read the listing for 85 Vanderlip Drive. “The piers appear to be working and the house shows very few effects of the movement.”
The piers are also known as anchors, piles, or screw piles, and are threaded into the ground instead of requiring large excavation work, meant to minimize soil disturbance.
The gambit appeared to be successful. In June, the house sold for $1.25 million. While a hefty shave off the original $2.25 million ask, it at least sold.
In March, a three-bedroom home on Admirable Drive was listed for $1.2 million, but seems to have been taken off the market in August without a sale. Records show it last switched hands in 2018 for $1.51 million.
“Property located in the neighborhood impacted by LAND MOVEMENT and affected by it,” said the now-defunct listing.
Optimism in the face of adversity
Another owner in the affected area is bullish on their home though it has lingered on the market for almost two years.
The oceanfront house in the private Portuguese Bend Beach Club has recently increased its price by $1.4 million to $4 million, despite the house having “minor land movement damages.”
“Watch dolphins and surfers from your living room,” declares the listing, focusing on the positive.
But it also comes with a bit of a warning: “Plans to remodel and fix the minor land movement damages have been submitted to the city. House will be sold as-is.”
Realtor.com reached out to listing agent Sinan Zakaria.
