RANCHO PALOS VERDES — The City of Rancho Palos Verdes, the Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA, and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services or Cal OES Oct. 29 announced a $42 million voluntary buyout program for property owners in the Greater Portuguese Bend landslide area whose homes have been damaged or threatened by land movement.
Established with funding from FEMA’s hazard mitigation grant program, the voluntary property buyout program is intended to help eligible homeowners relocate to safer areas by offering a fair market value for their properties based on pre-disaster appraisals. Properties acquired by the city through this program will be permanently converted to open space and deed-restricted, protecting the community from future redevelopment risks in these vulnerable areas.
Slow-moving, ancient landslides in the city have significantly accelerated since 2023 following two consecutive heavy rainy seasons that caused damage to homes, roads and utilities, resulting in indefinite gas and electricity shut offs for hundreds of residents.
“For the past two years, our residents have endured extraordinary hardships as a result of this landslide, with some facing the real prospect of losing their homes entirely,” said Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor John Cruikshank. “This buyout program provides a viable pathway forward for our most vulnerable community members, offering the opportunity to relocate and rebuild with meaningful compensation. On behalf of the entire City, I express my deep appreciation to FEMA and Cal OES for working with the City to establish this program. We understand the complexity and emotional weight of this for our residents and are committed to making the process as transparent and compassionate as possible.”
The Rancho Palos Verdes City Council announced the program at a special town hall meeting on Oct. 28, sharing program details and answering resident questions with support from FEMA and Cal OES representatives in attendance. FEMA has allocated funding for this program based on the federally declared California disaster for the winter storms between Jan. 31 and Feb. 9, 2024.
Additional program cycles may become available in the future. This announcement represents the largest grant amount in the city’s history and comes as the city continues to see promising signs that the unprecedented land movement is slowing. The deceleration is the result of dewatering efforts by the city, the Abalone Cove Landslid Abatement District, and the Klondike Canyon Landslide Abatement District, in combination with drier weather conditions.
Property owners interested in applying for the buyout program must request a voluntary property inspection from the city by Monday, Nov. 4 at 5:30 p.m. and submit a completed program application by Friday, Nov. 8 at 4:30 p.m. The City and Cal OES will review all applications to ensure they meet FEMA’s eligibility criteria. Properties will be prioritized for selection based on factors such as safety concerns, structural condition, and utility statuses.
If selected for a grant under the program, the city will purchase the property for a price determined by an appraisal that is based on the fair market value of the land on Dec. 1, 2022, prior to the acceleration of the landslide. The FEMA grant will pay for 75% of the sale, and property owners will contribute the remaining 25% through a reduction of the fair market value payment. Property owners who have been selected to proceed with the purchase of their property may withdraw at any time prior to sale closing. At closing, the property will be deed-restricted as open space, and the city cannot sell it to private individuals or develop it.
Residents with questions about the voluntary property buyout program can contact the ity at LandMovement@RPVca.gov or visit RPVca.gov/LandMovement.