Landslide costs and buyout program
Summary
Quietly bundled in the consent calendar: the landslide emergency declaration was reconfirmed with new emergency contracts (including $1.5 million for on-call sewer repairs), and appraisal contracts for the voluntary property buyout program were extended into 2028 to keep Round 2 appraisals moving.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 10
- Last 30 days
- 1
Discussed at 2 meetings in the last 60 days; most recently Oct 20, 2026.
Impact analysis
Over $1.6 million in new emergency contract authority plus roughly $40,000 more for each of the two appraisal contracts.
Landslide-area homeowners, buyout program participants, and Abalone Cove sewer customers relying on emergency repairs.
The entire city's capital program is crowded out by landslide costs, and the movement may never be fully fixed.
Mentions & discussions (13)
City Council Meeting - Oct 20, 2026
Staff pulled the $6 million design-services amendment with Geosyntec at the last minute to confirm the right procurement path with Cal OES and FEMA. The council deferred that part but reconfirmed the landslide emergency. A resident urged spending the money on dewatering wells, which she said have worked since the 1980s.
Infrastructure Management Advisory Committee (IMAC) - Sep 16, 2026
The landslide keeps decelerating — Portuguese Bend is averaging under an inch per week, a threshold that could eventually trigger Southern California Edison planning to re-energize 135 de-energized homes. Winterization wraps up this month, deep dewatering wells continue, and roughly $150 million in grants is trending toward award.
Emergency Preparedness Committee Meeting - Aug 17, 2026
The city selected 5 more homes in round two of its voluntary buyout program (22 in round one) and is applying for $19M in FEMA hazard mitigation grant money for a third round. The goal is to buy at-risk properties in the Portuguese Bend landslide area so they can never again put lives in danger, prioritizing red- and yellow-tagged homes.
Finance Advisory Committee Meeting - Aug 13, 2026
Landslide spending is projected to reach $72 million by fiscal year-end with only about 18% covered by grants, and the city remains $26 million short on the buyout match. Cal OES has signaled it may advance funds once the buyout program is obligated, sparing city reserves.
Emergency Preparedness Committee Meeting - Jul 16, 2026
The city is pushing forward a third geological hazard abatement district and expanding its voluntary buyout program for homes in landslide danger zones — 22 homes selected in round one, five in round two, and a $19 million FEMA grant application for a third round. Buyouts keep people out of homes that could put lives at risk and turn the land into open space.
Infrastructure Management Advisory Committee (IMAC) - Jul 15, 2026
Land movement is trending down and seven of nine deep dewatering wells are running, pumping roughly 700,000 gallons a day. Six grants are being tracked, all moving in the right direction with FEMA support — meaning outside money may cover much of the stabilization work residents have been worried about.
City Council Meeting - Jul 7, 2026
Quietly bundled in the consent calendar: the landslide emergency declaration was reconfirmed with new emergency contracts (including $1.5 million for on-call sewer repairs), and appraisal contracts for the voluntary property buyout program were extended into 2028 to keep Round 2 appraisals moving.
Finance Advisory Committee Meeting - Jun 11, 2026
The city won a $42 million FEMA grant to buy out 20-22 landslide-affected properties, but FEMA reimburses after the city pays. Members worried about tying up $10 million of city cash for up to three years and pushed staff to explore borrowing or a FEMA advance instead.
Civic Center Advisory Committee - May 28, 2026
A member warned the road in the slide area has dropped 50 feet or more and is still moving; if PV Drive South fails, 16,000 daily trips could overwhelm two-lane alternates. Members also relayed the finance committee's warning that city reserves could be exhausted within about eight months, forcing service cuts and layoffs.
Finance Advisory Committee Meeting - May 14, 2026
Landslide spending is trending under budget this year — projected at $61.5 million cumulative since 2022 versus $64.4 million budgeted — but a full fix is estimated at $150 million and the problem isn't going away. Two landslide districts won grants totaling about $2.5 million and will begin repaying their city loans in December.
Rancho Palos Verdes landslide accelerates after rain
Rancho Palos Verdes landslide accelerates after rain KTLA
Mini-landslide rattles nerves in Rancho Palos Verdes
Mini-landslide rattles nerves in Rancho Palos Verdes Los Angeles Times
Slow-moving landslide in Southern California town moved as fast as 4 inches a week last fall
Slow-moving landslide in Southern California town moved as fast as 4 inches a week last fall Washington Times
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