Land Movement Update

November 19 City Council Meeting 

At last night’s meeting, the City Council received the latest updates on land movement data in the Portuguese Bend landslide area, the City’s deep dewatering and winterization efforts, the financial impacts of the landslide response, and the Voluntary Property Buyout Program.  

City staff provided an updated tally of damaged properties that have been red- and yellow-tagged and whose owners are seeking buyouts. Of the 85 applications, 20 properties have been red-tagged, 37 have been yellow-tagged, and 14 were deemed to be in good condition. Another 14 property owners who submitted applications have not requested inspections, but may still do so by contacting the Building and Safety Division. 

City staff also clarified what is included in the buyout program’s cost share formula, with 75% of eligible costs being covered by FEMA and 25% covered by the property owner via a reduction in sales price. A full list of eligible costs is available on the program webpage. A hypothetical example illustrating the cost share formula is broken down below:

A recording of the landslide item discussion will be available on the City website.

Terranea Resort to Provide Thanksgiving Dinners to Residents Impacted by Land Movement 

The City of Rancho Palos Verdes is pleased to announce that in an effort to help bring a smile to the residents affected by land movement who have lost basic utilities, Terranea Resort is generously providing complimentary Thanksgiving dinners. Impacted residents may request individual Thanksgiving meals by emailing landmovement@rpvca.gov by Monday, November 25 at 5:30 p.m.  

Individual dinners will be packaged compliments of Terranea Resort and delivered by volunteers to residences from 1-2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, November 28. 

"Our hearts go out to the Rancho Palos Verdes community residents affected by the recent landslides,” said Ralph Grippo, President of Terranea Resort. “During this season of gratitude, we are especially thankful to be part of such a resilient and cherished coastal community. We value our connection with our neighbors and hope to bring a sense of comfort and joy during the holiday season.” 

The donation is part of the ongoing Mend the Bend relief effort serving impacted residents, many of whom have been without gas and/or electricity since the summer. Organized by the Rotary Club of Palos Verdes Peninsula, Mend the Bend has hosted weekly dinners for impacted residents with meals generously donated by local restaurants. 

"For the past 15 years, Terranea Resort has embodied what it means to be a community partner. On behalf of the City, we express our deepest gratitude for this act of generosity ensuring residents whose lives have been disrupted by land movement and utility shutoffs will enjoy a special Thanksgiving meal during one of the most difficult times in their lives," said Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor John Cruikshank. "We also thank the volunteers who will be delivering the meals and all those in our community who have contributed to the Mend the Bend meal program over the past two months." 

Mend the Bend dinners have been made possible by volunteers from the Peninsula Rotary Club, Community’s Child, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Association of REALTORS, the RPV Council of Homeowners Associations, Portuguese Bend Community Association, Portuguese Bend Beach Club Homeowners Association, Seaview Residents Association, St. Peter’s by the Sea Presbyterian Church, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, and the Rotary Club of San Pedro. In addition to Terranea Resort, participating restaurants have included The Depot, Gaetano’s Restaurant, Shore Grille, Mickey’s Deli, Baran’s 2239, The Red Onion, Good Stuff, Piccini, Torrance Bakery, Avenue Italy, Casa Luigi, and Later Days Coffee Co. 

If you are interested in volunteering to deliver meals on Thanksgiving Day, please email landmovement@rpvca.gov. 

Celebrating The Mend the Bend Meal Program

The City Council recognized the Mend the Bend Meal Program at its November 19 meeting. This program has provided complimentary meals to City residents affected by the land movement. Seven dinners have been hosted so far, and three more are scheduled on November 20, Thanksgiving Day, and December 4. The City Council acknowledged the numerous volunteers and restaurants that have contributed to this wonderful program. 

RPVtv News Update – Winterization Efforts

In this RPVtv news update, Deputy Public Works Director David Copp highlights the City’s efforts to prepare the landslide area for the rainy months. This work includes lining canyons, filling fissures and grabens, and repaving vulnerable streets in the Seaview neighborhood. Watch on Cox 33/Frontier FiOS 38 or RPVtv’s YouTube channel. 

Door Hanger Update 

Last week, the City distributed hundreds of door hangers with magnetic cards to homes in the landslide area (excluding those red-tagged) containing key phone numbers and web links related to the land movement emergency. This includes hotlines to report utility leaks, websites and phone numbers for utility updates, the City’s land movement webpage, Alert SouthBay emergency alerts, and the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office for tax relief resources. Door hangers have been mailed to two dozen properties that were not accessible. A limited number of extra copies are available at City Hall.

Questions?

If you have questions, please email the City at landmovement@rpvca.gov.   

Media Inquiries

If you have a media inquiry related to land movement in the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, please contact the City’s communications partner, Tripepi Smith, with your questions at RPVMedia@TripepiSmith.com. They will also add you to our media list so you receive our listserv updates, press releases and media advisories.