Rancho Palos Verdes officials make inspections of homes within the landslide area mandatory

With land moving at an unprecedented rate in the Portuguese Bend area in Rancho Palos Verdes, city officials announced Wednesday night that inspections to determine if homes need to be red tagged will now be mandatory.

It's the latest move in response to the large landslide, which is now moving up to 13 inches a week, cracking homes and twisting roadways in the process.

Earlier this week, SoCalGas said it was shutting off service to 135 homes because the landslide had compromised gas lines in the area.

How the process will work

Starting Thursday, building inspectors will drive around the area to conduct a “windshield survey” to document homes and properties they’re concerned about, city manager Ara Mihranian said.

“If we see cracks in the foundation, if we see doors that are angled, if we see structural stress from the front facade, that's when we're going to tag it as a structure of concern and then that will prompt the letter,” he said.

That letter will give residents 10 days to schedule a home inspection. If they refuse, officials will get an inspection warrant to enter the property, something many affected residents have been trying to avoid.

Landslides in Rancho Palos Verdes cause damage to homes and roads as seen on May 17, 2024

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Brian Feinzimer

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LAist

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In California, red tagged homes are not safe to live in, while yellow tagged homes can only be inhabited for a period of time — for example, residents can only occupy the home during the day.

If a home has been yellow tagged, Mihranian said the city will work with property owners to “help you harden and shore up the property to prevent it from getting to the red tag stage.”

Property owners will have the opportunity to appeal a red or yellow tag.

LAist has observed foundational cracks in some homes in the Portuguese Bend area with residents unable to use some structures on their properties, including garages and guesthouses.

Landslides in Rancho Palos Verdes cause damage to homes and roads as seen on May 17, 2024

(

Brian Feinzimer

/

LAist

)

Resources for residents

Mihranian said the city is looking into state and federal resources to help residents whose homes may be red tagged.

“If your structure is red tagged and we ask you that you need to vacate the structure, we're going to try to connect you with some of these accommodations, locally,” he said.

Some ways to check for updates:

• SoCalGas site for Rancho Palos Verdes residents (they're offering $2,500 to account holders)
• 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

Mitigation efforts

In June, city officials began to address the recent acceleration in land movement by drilling bore holes to determine where to install hydraugers that will drain the water. Mihranian said Wednesday that the city is on course to have a hydrauger installed in September, but it could take up to six months to see any impact and the land will continue to move.