Landslide displaces several residents

A man looks out from the backyard of a two-story residence at the edge of a landslide affecting multiple homes on Plume Way at the Luna at Skyline neighborhood in the Plum Canyon area of Santa Clarita, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. Five houses on Plume and one home on Lambert Way have since been yellow-tagged - meaning residents can go back into their properties and gather their things, but not permanently stay there. Chris Torres/The Signal
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A landslide caused several homes in a new housing development on Plume Way to be yellow-tagged on Sunday, leaving homeowners uncertain as to when they can permanently return.  

Land that made up the backyards of several properties on the small cul-de-sac slid about 8 feet at around 2 p.m., taking out a transformer that provided power to a home on Lambent Way, according to Carrie Lujan, spokeswoman for the city of Santa Clarita.  

Five houses on Plume Way and one home on Lambent Way have since been yellow-tagged —- meaning residents can go back into their properties and gather their things. However, city officials could not yet give a solid estimate as to when they can permanently return. 

Cones block off a portion of Lambent Way where a landslide has affected multiple homes on Plume Way at the Luna at Skyline neighborhood in the Plum Canyon area of Santa Clarita, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. Chris Torres/The Signal

Power was restored Sunday night to the one home affected by the damaged transformer. 

The homes are in the Lyra neighborhood of the Skyline Ranch development. 

Lujan said city officials are working with the development’s owner, Tri Pointe Homes, to assess the situation and determine when it will be safe for residents to return. 

At the scene, large parts of residents’ backyards appeared to have been swept away. The long slope between Plume Way and Lambent Way had been covered with tarps and weighed down with sandbags and rocks.  

Video by Chris Torres

Several boulders and large sections of debris also appeared to have damaged a concrete v-ditch that ran down the slope, as well as a fence and the sidewalk along Lambent Way.    

On Monday morning, crews from the Los Angeles County Fire Department and Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency were inspecting the scene.  

One resident, Jun Astadan, lives just a few doors down from the affected homes on Plume Way. Astadan said inspectors had been in the area for the last couple of months and that having a slide that close to home was worrisome.  

Video by Chris Torres

“We’re just the fifth house from where it happened,” said Astadan. “Actually, they did some work over there a couple months before. So they know already, that something’s going on… but there’s nothing we can do about it.”    

Tri Point Homes released a statement on Monday saying the landslide was caused by “California’s series of heavy rains.” 

“At this time, there does not appear to be issues on other slopes in the Skyline community,” read the statement. “We will, however, continue to closely monitor the situation under the guidance of geotechnical experts.” 

Tri Pointe Homes said it will be covering the costs for temporary housing while they “stabilize and rebuild” the slope.  

At the time of this publication, Tri Pointe has not responded to a request for comment as to how long it will take before residents can return home or when repairs on the slope will be completed. They also have not responded to inquiries regarding whether the site had been inspected prior to the landslide.  

Photos from the scene by Chris Torres/The Signal:

Property damage from the landslide affecting multiple homes on Plume Way at the Luna at Skyline neighborhood in the Plum Canyon area of Santa Clarita, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. Five houses on Plume and one home on Lambert Way have since been yellow-tagged – meaning residents can go back into their properties and gather their things, but not permanently stay there. Chris Torres/The Signal
Crews with the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency and Tri Pointe Homes assess the scene of a landslide affecting multiple homes on Plume Way at the Luna at Skyline neighborhood in the Plum Canyon area of Santa Clarita, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. Five houses on Plume and one home on Lambert Way have since been yellow-tagged – meaning residents can go back into their properties and gather their things, but not permanently stay there. Chris Torres/The Signal
Los Angeles County Fire Department officials assess the scene of a landslide affecting multiple homes on Plume Way at the Luna at Skyline neighborhood in the Plum Canyon area of Santa Clarita, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. Five houses on Plume and one home on Lambert Way have since been yellow-tagged – meaning residents can go back into their properties and gather their things, but not permanently stay there. Chris Torres/The Signal
A crew member from Tri Pointe Homes assess the property damage from the landslide affecting multiple homes on Plume Way at the Luna at Skyline neighborhood in the Plum Canyon area of Santa Clarita, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. Chris Torres/The Signal
A man with Tri Pointe Homes stands on top of the damaged sidewalk from the landslide on Plume Way at the Luna at Skyline neighborhood in the Plum Canyon area of Santa Clarita, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. Chris Torres/The Signal
Crews from Tri Pointe Homes assess the property damage from the landslide affecting multiple homes on Plume Way at the Luna at Skyline neighborhood in the Plum Canyon area of Santa Clarita, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. Chris Torres/The Signal

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