Palos Verdes Residents Defy Disaster, Cling to Homes on Crumbling Cliffs

In the affluent coastal community of Palos Verdes, California, residents are facing a growing crisis as their dream homes inch closer to the crumbling edge of the Pacific Ocean. Last month, a section of a seaside bluff gave way, sending backyards plunging 200 feet into the sea.

Despite the looming danger, homeowner Geno Imbriale, whose $2.5 million mansion sits on the cliff, remains defiant. "It's like a drive-by shooting, which house gets hit. You just never know," he told reporters. Imbriale, who bought his home in 2022, says he never expected the land to disappear so quickly, with the property moving 17 inches per week at one point - far above the normal rate of 2 inches.

The collapse on Marguerite Drive is just the latest in a series of landslides that have plagued the Palos Verdes peninsula. In 2023, slide activity picked up dramatically, prompting the governor to declare a state of emergency. Nearly 20 homes have been deemed unsafe to occupy, and the gas and electric companies have pulled out of the area, forcing residents to find their own power sources.

Yet, Imbriale and others like him refuse to abandon their homes. "It's scary sometimes," he admits, "but this is home. You can't beat the view - even if the ground underneath it keeps moving." As the coastline continues to erode, the residents of Palos Verdes must grapple with an uncertain future, clinging to their homes in the face of an ever-encroaching natural disaster.