California city hit by landslides was at risk for decades, and the slipping may not be stoppable

Rancho Palos Verdes is already facing setbacks to potential efforts to mitigate the land movement. Last month, the city said it had uncovered an even deeper landslide in the area that is also active. Officials said that movement, at a depth of more than 300 feet, is too fast and too far underground to dig drains and pumps to extract water.

Now that a state of emergency has been declared, Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor John Cruikshank said the money allocated will go toward helping the city government and landslide abatement efforts, but not to individual homeowners.

Homeowners whose power has been shut off will need to come up with tens of thousands of dollars or more to convert to off-grid alternatives, such as solar and battery technologies, Cruikshank told a local CBS affiliate on Wednesday. He hopes the state will help cover such costs.

Residents are already on the hook for damage to their homes, Cruikshank added, since typical home insurance policies don’t cover landslides, hundreds of which are documented in California each year.

Tim Kelly, a mechanical engineer who moved to the Portuguese Bend neighborhood of Rancho Palos Verdes 30 years ago, said he’s relying on his solar panels for power now, and remaining in his home. He attended a public meeting Tuesday in which residents pleaded with city officials for solutions.

“We’re resilient,” Kelly said of the community. “We’re not going anywhere.”

Kelly said that other homes in his area have shifted on their foundations, with some properties cracking and splitting in sections, but his house remains unmoved. He and his neighbors will not abandon their homes and expect government leaders and scientists to figure out how best to “stop the slide,” he added.

Kelly said that for decades, the local government has failed to install long-term solutions to prevent water from saturating the canyon and divert it into the ocean. Now, the issue is coming to a head for the city and time is of the essence.

“The patient is sick,” Kelly said, "and something must be done to bring it back to life.”