UPDATES - The City of Rancho Palos Verdes (RPV)
Happy New Year to our readers!
PVP Watch published a newsletter on December 3 last year regarding the $42 million RPV Landslide Buyout Program details (see below). We stated that "SoCalGas provided a $2,750 grant to each property owner when their gas service was turned off".
We recently received clarifications from Mr. Ben Steinberger of SoCalGas Company on the Company's financial assistance as follows:
"On Monday July 29th, to protect public safety, SoCalGas turned off natural gas service to approximately 135 homes in the Portuguese Bend community. We provided impacted account holders with $2,500 each to help approximately 135 residents who did not have natural gas service due to the worsening land movement.
In support of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes’ and the City of Rolling Hills’ efforts to establish a relief fund for residents impacted by recent land movement, SoCalGas has donated $50,000 to the Palos Verdes Peninsula Rotary Foundation".
PVP Watch's December 23, 2024 newsletter:
$42 Million Rancho Palos Verdes (RPV) Landslide Buyout Program
On October 28, 2025, the City of RPV unveiled a $42 million voluntary property Buyout Program for affected homes in the landslide areas of Upper Portuguese Bend, Seaview, and the Portuguese Bend Beach Club. About 280 property owners have experienced land movement or lost electricity, gas, or cable services in these areas.
How does the program work?
Affected property owners request an inspection from the City by 5:30 p.m. Monday, November 4, and submit a completed application by 4:30 p.m. Friday, November 8, 2024.
Qualified homeowners will receive 75% of their home's fair market value as of December 1, 2022.
Once the “sale” is completed, the City of RPV will demolish all structures, driveways, and patios. The property will be declared "open space" in perpetuity.
The property must not be bank-owned and has not been sold since December 1, 2022.
Who created this program?
The City of RPV, in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the California Office of Emergency Services, (CalOES)
Where do the funds come from?
The funds came from FEMA through the Hazardous Mitigation Grant Program after a major federal disaster declaration was made in April.
How many applications were received?
85 eligible applications were received:
52 in the Upper Portuguese Bend community,
21 in the Seaview neighborhood, and
12 in the Portuguese Bend Beach Club.
70 of the 85 were inspected and “tagged”:
20 red-tagged,
37 yellow-tagged, and
14 green tagged.
The highest priority was given to the 20 uninhabitable red-tagged homes. The next priority was given to the yellow-tagged homes that were severely damaged, but livable. Remaining priority would be assigned based on the amount of damages the homes suffered.
The City of RPV feels that the $42 million will likely cover the buyouts of the 20 red-tagged homes. The review and selection process is expected to take at least several months.
What assistance was available prior to the Buyout Program?
A $5 million grant from Supervisor Janice Hahn's office provided $10,000 to each affected property owner, and
SoCalGas provided a $2,750 grant to each property owner when their gas service was turned off.
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