This house at 17909 Porto Marina, which is owned by the City has been abandoned since February.
An abandoned house at 17909 Porto Marina had squatters living in it in July, and again in August. The Pacific Palisades Homeless Task Force was notified and helped remove the people.
When neighbors went to City records to find out who owned it and to hold them accountable, they were surprised to learn the property belonged to the City.
Selma Lerner, who with her husband George purchased the property in 1986, had been renting the home from the City since 1995. She died in February 2024.
Squatters in a building always present the possibility of fires, and the City was contacted by Castellammare neighbors. The City boarded up the house and a no-trespassing sign was posted.
At the beginning of November, an individual had taken down the “No Trespassing” sign, removed locks and boards from windows and doors, and installed hinges on the board covering the carport, so that it could be used to house his truck, Arizona license plates BNS 1228. He told one resident that the property was his, that the woman had left the house to him.
This man claimed to own the house, which is L.A. City property.
If Castellammare residents see this man at the house, they are asked to call the police, so he can be arrested for trespassing.
This Porto Marina house has 180-degree ocean view. In a 1993 L.A. Times story (“It’s an Uphill Battle: City Spending $2.5 Million to Anchor Homes”), George was quoted. Gazing out at the sinking sun and a glowing band of clouds above the ocean, “They can’t get me out of here,” Lerner said. “A scene like this you only see in heaven.”
According to a February 1993 Story (“Big Trouble in Paradise: Homes Gone: Real Estate: For some the lush life has slid out of sight, as wrecked homes inspire grief and lawsuits”), “the two homes on Porto Marina Way – 17909 and 17919: Threatened by sliding from above; residents ordered to evacuate; condemnation process begun.”
George died in 1995. The City agreed to rent the property to Selma, rather than evicting her, and she did until her death this year.
After Selma’s death, the City addressed the rental agreement, with a proposed October 2024 settlement click here.
“The original homeowner, Selma Lerner, entered into a month-to-month rental agreement (C-94027) for this property and originally provided a security deposit to the City of $2,500 (Accounting verified security deposit of $2,500). Twelve years later, the City reissued a new month-to-month rental agreement (C-113031) to provide rental credits to Tenant for general maintenance and upkeep costs of the property in exchange for reduced rent. Under this successor rental agreement, the City increased the Tenant’s security deposit from $2,500 to $6,000.”
As of the beginning of November, the electricity and water were still on. On November 16, the electricity had been turned off, but the water was on, and the washer and dryer were still in the laundry room.
The interior of the house has been well-kept.
Why hasn’t the City sold the house?
The explanation goes back to 1993, and a landslide involving Porto Marina Way and Castellammare Drive. The City blamed the landslide on heavy rains. That was discounted by some.
In an October story in the L.A.Times (“It’s an Uphill Battle : City Spending $2.5 Million to Anchor Homes”) it noted that “The misperception is that this was a natural phenomenon. That’s not true,” said attorney Richard N. Weissfeld, who represents 10 homeowners in claims against the city and Caltrans. “There’s a history of neglect here. Both the city and Caltrans knew they should have been doing something out there but didn’t.
“The city has yet to respond to the legal claims, but Caltrans rejected them, saying the slides occurred too far above PCH to have been caused by its road projects. (Editor’s note: Caltrans is saying the same thing about Tramonto—that it’s the upper slide that has to be fixed. In an October 3, 2024 meeting Caltrans said “Whatever you do at the top, will impact the lower hill.”)
Here’s what the City did in 1993 for $2.5 million:
- I-Beams: 38 80-foot steel I-beams were sunk vertically into the hill along Porto Marina Way. The beams, spaced eight feet apart, were placed in holes three feet in diameter and encased in concrete.
- Anchors: Each I-beam was attached to a “tieback” anchor made of five-eighths-inch steel cable and concrete. The tiebacks were inserted in a drilled hole 140 feet deep and 6 inches in diameter. Concrete grout was pumped into each hole and allowed to set; then additional concrete is forced down the hole, rupturing the initial grout at strategic intervals to enlarge the tieback, anchoring it more securely in the sandstone.
There are several stained glass windows that add to the charm of the house.
In the meantime, one can see why the Lerners fell in love with this property. There is a broad brick patio that serves as the yard and is in suburb shape. There are no cracks in the interior or exterior of the house. The interior of the house is exquisite, the flooring, wood, seems to be in perfect condition. The master bath is light and done with stone. There are many built-in cabinets, and the stained-glass windows are lovely. There is a breakfast nook.
The immediate danger is the overgrown brush north of the house, which should have been trimmed with brush clearance.
In a prior story, it was reported that the land above this house slid into the carport. The carport at 17909, although boarded, seemed intact. A city geological expert would have to weigh in whether the $2.5 million fix by the L.A. City Department of Public Works stabilized the hillside: a 35-foot-thick landmass that slide about five feet downward and 10 feet outward.
But wow! What a beautiful house, and the view. . . One understands why Selma chose to stay. From almost every room, an unimpeded panorama of the Pacific Ocean and the sky, or as George said, “A scene like this you only see in heaven.”
The master bathroom is large and full of light: the window overlooks the Pacific Ocean. Squatters were living in a room next to this bathroom.