More than 50 homeowners in Rancho Palos Verdes will be required to schedule home inspections as unprecedented land movement in the Portuguese Bend area continues to ravage properties.
City officials last week said the inspections were necessary to make sure structures are safe to inhabit and for emergency responders to enter in an area that has seen land movement of up to 13 inches a week.
Ara Mihranian, Rancho Palos Verdes’ city manager, told LAist officials conducted a “windshield survey” of 400 properties to identify homes that showed structural issues.
At Tuesday's City Council meeting, officials said homeowners will have 10 days to schedule a voluntary inspection, otherwise, the city will obtain an inspection warrant.
About those inspections
Inspectors will look at the structural integrity of properties, including foundations and utilities. Upon inspection, officials might restrict use of certain areas in a home until the damage is fixed.
John Cruikshank, mayor of Rancho Palos Verdes, said inspectors will also look into whether property owners and first responders can safely access the homes. At one residence in the Seaview neighborhood, he said the driveway and stairways leading to the entrance of the home had been destroyed.
How we got here
Last week, SoCalGas indefinitely shut off service to 135 homes in the landslide area, citing concerns over its ability to safely maintain the infrastructure as the land continues to move.
Gordon Leon, a 25-year resident on Vanderlip Drive, had his gas shut off eight weeks ago and has been running his stove on a barbecue tank while he installs an “off grid solar system.” He's seen how the land movement has accelerated, especially in the last few months.
“Our front yard, between our house and Vanderlip, has a fissure that's roughly 20 feet deep and 35 feet wide, which makes our driveway impassable,” he said.
The area’s power supply is also in jeopardy, with SoCal Edison warning residents to prepare for the possibility of their service being shut off. Three homes on Vanderlip Drive have already lost service. On Monday, the utility cut power overnight to 50 homes in the Seaview neighborhood and the Portuguese Bend Beach Club area to perform utility work on Palos Verdes Drive South. Three homes on Vanderlip Drive have already lost electricity service.
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- The Portuguese Bend Homeowners Association website
- SoCalEdison has created a webpage where residents can find up to date information regarding the power and landslide complex
- Rancho Palos Verdes residents are also encouraged to sign up for alerts and know their evacuation zone via www.pvpready.gov
- The city of Rancho Palos Verdes is also posting updates here
The city is hosting an information session at Ladera Linda Community Center on Thursday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., with representatives from city, county and state agencies.
The city will also waive permit fees for those switching from natural gas to propane. Residents will also be able to pick up a weather radio, which can work without power and receive emergency alerts. Mental health experts will also be on hand.
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- SoCalGas is offering $2,500 to affected Rancho Palos Verdes account holders.
- If you believe your home has declined in value and incurred damages because of the land movement, you can apply for a Decline-in-Value Review by the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office.
- The review period is from July 2 to November 30.
- For more information, residents can call (213) 974-3211.
- Residents can also appy for Disaster Relief Tax through the assessor's office.
- Misfortune and Calamity tax relief is available for residents whose property damages exceed $10,000 because of a natural disaster. Residents need to file a claim within a year of the damage occurring.
- Residents can call (213) 974-8658 for more information.
