Massive landslide threatens homes in Rancho Palos Verdes

Following a destructive rainstorm that pummeled Southern California, a massive landslide is threatening a neighborhood in Rancho Palos Verdes. Residents are left dealing with the aftermath including major land shifts, gas leaks and red-tagged homes. The active landslide has damaged neighborhood roads on Dauntless Drive, leaving several homes unlivable as it continues expanding.
KTLA's Omar Lewis reports on Feb. 8, 2024.
Details: ktla.com/news/...
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[@darktoadone5068]

This the main reason I don't live in the foothills, mountains or anywhere near steep terrain. I learned 50 years ago about landslides the hard way. I don't care how scenic and beautiful it is.

[@redeyedmongoose2963]

The real problem is that there are too many homes built in areas that there should’ve never been built in!!! Let’s build our house on this hillside of sand….duh..what could go wrong?

[@SaveAmerica69]

The real problem is there is too many damn people living in the state. It's overcrowded, I don't know why anyone woukd even want to still live there.

[@sgrvtl7183]

AGREE❗️

[@AKAAAK]

Apparently they live here because of the weather 🫠. And they love it here at any cost.

[@abc123fhdi]

dude is like location outweighs the risk I'm like nope. And he just brought recently so how does he not know it's a landslide area smh

[@hgchild5398]

I know that "dude" since I used to live in that area and He is a local real estate agent so I don't know what He and his wife are thinking!!! I think their son took over their agency but I guess they really just want to live there. The views are amazing but I personally would not live in that part of RPV myself. As for the insurance, sometimes they won't cover you even if you live near a threat area like a hillside or canyon...

[@abc123fhdi]

regular insurance doesn't cover landslides.@@hgchild5398

[@billybrown7953]

I just got done watching an old Perry Mason episode and there was mentioning of homes built on unstable hillsides. Imagine that the Perry Mason show was from the 50s to early 60s. So this has been an on going problem from day one .

[@happydayz7857]

It sure has!

[@gungho1284]

I remember from way back when I was a kid. The heavy rain comes in cycles. And then comes the "why do they build their homes on hillsides?" "Homes on stilts!"

[@moozillamoo2109]

PV land movement was known starting in the '70s. But the property price went about 100x. So most of them made a fortune on their homes.

[@ydne]

These might have been the homes the episode was based on. 50s & 60s seems about right for these homes.

[@robertmartinez4174]

the people who live in that area are well aware of the risks. they can afford to live almost anywhere but choose to build and live there.

[@jasonn4597]

Probably because they don't want to live in a crowded city like downtown LA

[@happydayz7857]

The usual suspects. Ranchos palos Verdes is constantly having these issues. I don’t know how they get home insurance.

[@SaveAmerica69]

Don't worry, insurance companies are not going to insure most folks anymore. Throughout the state they are done with this crap.

[@happydayz7857]

@@SaveAmerica69 yes, folks need to stop building on moving hills.

[@oscarzepeda1558]

“The location out-ways the risk of living here”, What ?! Am I missing something ?? So, the Location out-ways your life and the safety of your family. Even, the geologist said that this is most dangerous area for landslides and the bedrock is very weak.

[@hamsterdiving7593]

Sorry, I just can't summon much sympathy for the people in that area, and especially that guy who just bought a house there... I mean, seriously -- what kind of money does he have that he can just toss it at a home in a known environmental time bomb...?? Wish I could be that cavalier...

[@seriejohnson698]

What you said.

[@dianaguenzler2897]

Its hard to feel bad for poeple who bought property on an unstable peninsula. Palos Verdes has been sliding for many, many years. This is nothing new. Portugues Bend has been re-routed several times due to land slides. This is why Marineland had to close more than 50 years ago. The residents took the risk to buy property there and are now loosing. Hope the ocean view was worth it.

[@ydne]

These post-WWII Era neighborhoods were trying so hard to adhere to the "Melting Pot" McCarthy Era suburban standard that they ignored many good practices, that are used before that time, and didn't know things we know today. The older 1920-30s Arts & Crafts Era community of Carmel-By-The-Sea, up in Monterey County, mandated that the deep rooted oak trees be protected to hold the soil. Newer communities don't try to artificially flatten the lands, as in Rancho Palos Verdes, but to build into the existing topology supporting the land with strategically place retaining walls.

[@horseman8263]

I live there in the 1970s and I noticed it then

[@hpph1744]

They have this problem every year and yet some one is still buying there.

[@roachtoasties]

Putting water pipes above ground might only delay the inevitable.

[@BuhodePiedra]

Prop 13 in effect. Large wealthy neighborhoods but mostly owned by the older generation, meaning they are paying 1% of 100k in annual taxes, not 1% of 3.5-6.5m, which is what you and I as a new home owner works have to.. And it’s the actual sticker price to repair things now a days. The extremely regressive 10% sales tax just can’t make up the difference can it?

[@Cucumberflavoredmustard]

Hey that sucks, but research your home purchase. If the stability of your home relies on retaining walls, it's just a question of when.

[@srfin24]

thts the bad part of pv near Pedro. u want to live the good part of pv not that side. no schools barely any shops very far from the freeway. how come the realtors didn't tell this

[@trailmonstah1892]

😂 you don’t see Pedro suffering landslides tho. And how you gonna just “live” on the other side. No one selling there.

[@customer5032]

The guy who just bought a house there. 🤦

[@hgchild5398]

Read my post above. He is a local possibly retired real estate agent and a local so very familiar with the area and probably just doesn't care!! They like the neighborhood and the view so??

[@marryellenmonahan5585]

It's been a known slide area for sixty years....

[@robertmartinez4174]

all you have to do is to make a trip to near by Point Ferman park and you can see for yourself that the area has a history of Landslides.

[@Soapboxstomper]

The location outlives the risk of living here!… WHAT??????!!

[@SuperCaliforniaBarbi]

All one needs to know is that all mountains want to be flat land...

[@chrisyonts9652]

Dude, it's totally reasonable to expect everything to be O.K. and your home not to fall into a gigantic sinkhole in Rancho Palos Verdes.

[@LindaMerchant-bq2hp]

There was severe thunderstorm and tornado watch/ warning near Oxnard

[@youtubemademecreateanewcha6965]

Total loss. $1M homes

[@SamWilkinsonn]

huh?

[@davidOConnor-z3l]

That fragile unstable land is worth more than those cheap drawings that they build on them but either way it's not a good idea and that's what they get for trying to get out of the rat race

[@davediamond7228]

a million dollars in Palos Verde will buy your dog a house...average price is 2.5 mill

[@stephenwlodarczyk175]

That the city okays developers permits without question the consequences should be a class lawsuit against the city. They could have said make sure it’s safe before development. Or put up some retaining walls. They pass the permits to easily. As long as the developer pays

[@juneyshu6197]

1 million was back in the day. These are the super elite. But bless them and families, just cause they have more they are humans suffering.

[@davidOConnor-z3l]

It would be fearful should they have to kick out one of the tenants and move into one of their rental properties

[@miamivicefanatic9736]

"The location outweighs the risk of living here". I don't know many people who would agree with that sentiment. Maybe if you're a multi-millionaire and can afford to lose your home.

[@roachtoasties]

I also wouldn't agree. A sudden land movement and your house may be nothing put a pile of toothpicks.

[@loblowry6282]

many are just loving it. they will rebuild again. The city loves this kind of homeowner. Not afraid spirit.

[@d-v-cez9152]

Portuguese Bend PV just happens to be the most active landslide area in the United States. Lots of wet bentonite lubricant in the layers there. However, the rest of the bedrock is pretty solid there on the once former island still rising up.

[@myobmyob2215]

Repeal The Death Tax Print Sign Submit now or be reassassed when grandparents or parents die If the weather doesn't take your property the govt is going to by taxation

[@reganung8997]

🙏🙏🙏

[@billl1127]

This issue is happening in communities in Utah and Pennsylvania. Can't build everywhere just because the view is nice.

[@S.O.Production]

That guys quote... "I think that the location out weighs the risk of living here". 😂 No thank you.

[@Super_Flea]

This is settled science rain is the end of our beloved democracy.

[@oscarzepeda1558]

Dang Omar Lewis !! Great report and totally love the fade and part, looking mighty fly, keep up your great work and to the KTLA 5 Team.

[@davidOConnor-z3l]

Where was that professional geologist and his weak bedrock theory when they were getting permits to build on this fragile hillside I wonder he's a joke and what is his job entail yes we are flooded and yes we're having mudslides he states the obvious I don't get it

[@billl1127]

That geologist wasn't born yet

[@thefix2573]

I don't think he's the one that approved the development 70 years ago.

[@eustaciogriego1912]

Nature can be wonderful if we treated fair. This is a small sign of what is to come we should be getting ready for the hot Summer in our future.

[@CoolHand273]

Don't these homeowners read natural hazard disclosures? Or even watch the news? A home is supposed to be an asset but it looks more like a liability just to live in a fancy zip code.

[@bluelava4282]

You can’t fix hillsides

[@luckyluciano8361]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha 🤣

[@davidOConnor-z3l]

Mothers nature's way of making sure we all get a bit of the rat race

[@AKAAAK]

After these homes collapse, we can build some new ones 😮. Maybe even affordable housing 🤔

[@davediamond7228]

not in palos verde...trump would not allow affordable housing...it will devalue his international golf course on the cliffs there.

[@robbieogle8622]

😂😂😂😂

[@SaveAmerica69]

Slidefornia

[@BuhodePiedra]

Prop 13 in effect. Large wealthy neighborhoods but mostly owned by the older generation, meaning they are paying 1% of 100k in annual taxes, not 1% of 3.5-6.5m, which is what you and I as a new home owner works have to.. And it’s the actual sticker price to repair things now a days. The extremely regressive 10% sales tax just can’t make up the difference can it?

[@davediamond7228]

prop 13 allows for up to a 2 percent increase per year of the assed value when 13 took effect over the years my taxes have gone up each year on an average of 1.5 percent over the following year

[@BuhodePiedra]

@@davediamond7228 right.. and the actual value of the property in California since prop 13 has passed has been 100-600% at times per year, and in every other state there is no prop 13, your taxes are reassessed to the full amount every year. The huge gap between home values and taxation doesn’t exist in 49/50 states is my point.