California has a reputation for land slides, earthquakes, and shifting earth. San Diego is no exception. We have not suffered the significant damage from earthquakes that has occurred elsewhere in California (e.g., San Francisco), nor have we has the serious landslides that had hit the state in the last few years apparently due to heavy rains
- many will recall the slide in Laguna Beach in Blue Bird Canyon in 2005, causing a bunch of multi-million dollar homes to slide down the hill; 15 homes were destroyed
- severe rains in the winter of 2005 caused, once again, a signifcant landslide in La Conchita, killing 10 and damaging or destroying dozens of homes
- 8 condos were ultimately destroyed in the La Costa area of Carlsbad in 2005 - there is debate about the cause of the damage
San Diego has had another incident where Mother Earth has won again, in this case a collapse of a major roadon Mt. Soledad in the tony suburb of La Jolla. You can read more on this event here.
La Jolla is known for its expensive homes, many of which are built on dramatic hillsides, some rather precariously (median price currently is about $1.650 million). The 4-lane road is a major thoroughfare in and out of La Jolla leading to Pacific Beach. There have been some concerns about a possible shift in the earth due to cracks observed in the road and other changes, and this is not the first time this has happened. While no one was hurt, a number of homes were damage (the extent is not clear yet) and many were evacuated.
This incident certainly raises questions that have come up before. Should homes be built in areas that are prone to shifting earth? Are builders, or the city, in some way responsible or is there no way to truly prevent these sorts of incidents. And what about people who knowingly build or buy homes in areas that are at risk?
Insurance companies in CA do not provide landslide insurance so there can be significant costs associated with these events, which, if the area is declared a state or federal emergency, cost taxpayers money. No doubt there will be much controversy over this event as there was, and still is, in Laguna Beach and La Conchita. Should the state, or the city prevent the building of homes in these areas? Hard to say.
UPDATE 10/4 - I have done some more poking around and it seems that there is one company that will provide landslide insurance. If a flood causes a landslide then that appears to be covered, but homeowners should never make assumptions and should check with their providers. Insurance might also cover the cost of demolition of a house that is severly damaged but not the cost of the house. A landslide on its own is not covered, except in this one policy (which I expect is very costly).
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