RANCHO PALOS VERDES, California — Homeowners on a Southern California peninsula took a turn for the worse Landslides have damaged houses and led to utility shutdowns are eligible for a $42 million voluntary buyout program offered by state and federal officials.
The program was announced Monday evening during a special town hall meeting for Rancho Palos Verdes residents plagued by land shifting on their properties. The money will come from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
“This buyout program provides a viable path forward for our most vulnerable community members, providing the opportunity to relocate and rebuild with meaningful compensation,” said Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor John Cruikshank.
More than 250 homes in the city south of Los Angeles have been affected by ground movement and utility shutoffs over the past two years.
Many residents have said they are facing costs of up to $100,000 as they work to strengthen foundations, switch to off-grid solar power and convert natural gas lines to propane.
The FEMA funds were allocated after federal officials declared a disaster following wet winter storms in January and February that contributed to more landslides. KCAL TV reported.
The voluntary program is designed to help eligible homeowners move to safer areas by providing fair market value for their homes based on pre-disaster appraisals. Properties acquired by the city through this program will be permanently converted to open space and subject to title, protecting the community from future redevelopment risks in these sensitive areas, KCAL reported.
The landslides are the latest catastrophe in California, already ravaged by worsening wildfires and extreme weather events that have turned from heat waves to torrential rains that have caused flooding and mudslides over the past year.
In Rancho Palos Verdes, entire houses collapsed or were torn apart. Walls have shifted and large cracks have appeared in the ground. Evacuation warnings are in effect and parts of the community have had their say gas turned off. Others are dealing with temporary water shutoffs to repair sewer lines.
Nearly 70 years ago, the Portuguese Bend landslide in Rancho Palos Verdes was caused by the construction of a road through the area, which sits on top of an old landslide. 140 houses were destroyed at the time and the land has since been moved.
But the once slow-moving landslides quickly began to accelerate after heavy rains drenched Southern California over the past two years. The land that once shifted an average of a few centimeters per year now moves between 22.8 and 30.48 centimeters every week.
Property owners interested in the purchase program must request a voluntary property inspection from the city by Monday, November 4, and submit a completed program application by November 8. Properties are prioritized for selection based on factors such as safety considerations, structural condition and utility statuses.