Three Multimillion-Dollar Homes In California Deemed Safe Despite Cliffside Collapse

In Southern California's Dana Point, three luxurious multimillion-dollar homes perched on the edge of a cliff have been declared safe to inhabit, despite a recent landslide that eroded a significant portion of the cliff beneath them. These historic storms, which swept through the region earlier this month, posed a threat to the stability of the prestigious properties, leaving them teetering on the brink of the Pacific Ocean.

Among these exclusive residences, the priciest is a $15.9 million, four-bedroom estate owned by 82-year-old local radiologist Lewis Bruggeman. Bruggeman reassured reporters, stating, "The house is fine, it’s not threatened, and it will not be red-tagged," emphasizing the consensus reached by the city that there are no major structural issues with the property.

City Manager Mike Killebrew confirmed that inspections conducted by a geotechnical engineer and building sector deemed one of the three mansions, particularly the A-frame home positioned furthest out on the cliff edge, to be free from imminent threats. Killebrew stated, "The city’s geotechnical engineer and a building sector went out to the site to assess the situation, as well as talk with the homeowner who owns the residence and slope where the failure occurred."

The recent collapse of part of the Dana Point cliff, triggered by heavy rains, was captured in dramatic footage from ABC7's helicopter, illustrating one home precariously hanging off the cliffside while the others stood perilously close to the edge. A sizable mound of dirt, sand, and rocks now occupies the beach below the properties.

Real estate estimates from Redfin value the three adjacent homes at approximately $15.9 million, $14.1 million, and $12.9 million, respectively. While experts have deemed the current situation safe for inhabitants, they caution that significant stabilization efforts will be necessary to fortify the properties against future storms.

Kyle Tourjé, executive vice president of Alpha Structural, emphasized the need for substantial work to secure the properties, stating, "That’s going to need major, major work to stabilize that property." He warned of the increasing risk posed by recurrent heavy rainfall, noting, "We’re seeing more damage, and I think we will continue to see more significant damage. Between back-to-back years of heavy saturation, these houses, these properties … they just can’t take this kind of beating."

The landslides triggered by powerful rainstorms across Southern California highlight the ongoing challenges faced by coastal communities in mitigating the impacts of natural disasters on vulnerable cliffside properties.