Southern California landslide response likely falling on county, state official says

It seems unlikely California will declare a state of emergency related to the slow-moving landslide that destroyed a dozen homes in Rolling Hills Estates on July 8.

While a state emergency declaration isn’t out of the question, Brian Ferguson, a spokesperson for the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, indicated during a Monday, July 17, interview that the Peartree Lane disaster is something Los Angeles County is likely able to handle on its own.

“This is a very challenging disaster for the folks who live in this community,” Ferguson said. “But LA is one of the most resource-rich counties in the state, so we’re working with them to see if they can handle this on their own.”

Liz Odendahl, spokesperson for Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, and Rolling Hills Estates Mayor Britt Huff did not immediately return requests for comment Monday afternoon.

Despite that an emergency declaration being unlikely, Cal OES has been on the ground in Rolling Hills Estates since the beginning of the catastrophe, Ferguson said. Hahn, in fact, joined Cal OES representatives on Friday to tour the landslide area, Odendahl said early Monday.

Local and county officials had hoped that once Rolling Hills Estates declared a local emergency, county resources would follow — and then state resources. LA County has already pitched in $100,000, along with the $25,000 from Rolling Hills Estates.

But Peartree Lane is not a federally declared or state-declared emergency at this time, according to Cal OES.

All disasters, Ferguson said, are local. If the city responds and exceeds its capacity, it can ask the county for help. If the county doesn’t have the resources, it can ask the state, he said.

LA County’s first responders, Ferguson said, are some of the best and most robust around.

The state could provide technical assistance, Ferguson added. And, in deed, California Geological Survey personnel have already visited Peartree Lane, he said.

A private geotechnical inspection, meanwhile, is scheduled to take place this week as officials try to get at the root cause of the landslide. Until now, at least one resident and an expert who studied Palos Verdes Peninsula landslides suspect water — via rain or a leaky pipe — as the likely culprit.

The county’s own emergency management team, meanwhile, has been busy.

A local assistance center for impacted residents, for example, is expected to be ready in the coming days, said the LA County Office of Emergency Management.

The assistance center will give individuals, family members and business owners a single spot where they can get information about which city, county, state and nonprofit services are available to them, OEM said in a Monday email.

Help renewing passports, re-creating important documents and consulting with insurance agencies will be among the types of services the assistance center will offer, OEM Director Kevin McGowan said late last week.

The exact location of the center was not available Monday, but OEM said specifics would be announced as soon as possible.

“Other partnerships for assistance,” OEM said in an email, “are also being negotiated between non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, as well as the potential to bring in corporate donations.”

OEM also said it would continue to coordinate with Hahn’s office to support residents.

Rolling Hills Estates, for its part, has set up a web page with updates about the Peartree Lane landslide, bit.ly/3pWqf0c.