Work begins to shore up apartments
The owner of a large Laguna Niguel apartment complex worked Monday to shore up 48 units that had been evacuated because of landslide fears.
Residents were ordered to leave their homes in the 178-unit Laguna Summit Apartments, which overlook Crown Valley Parkway, after the unstable land was discovered last week, said Solveig Darner, Laguna Niguel’s community liaison.
Darner said she was unaware of previous problems at the apartments.
Residents of 16 units left voluntarily. Those who stayed in the other 32 were ordered to leave over the weekend, Darner said.
The shifting land was noted using an inclinometer, which measures the angle of a slope, and by drilling borings in the ground, she said. The apartments are on a hilltop on Niguel Road overlooking a strip mall.
A man who would identify himself only as a consultant to property owner R.W. Selby said he did not think the affected residents would be able to return to their apartments this year.
The remainder of the complex is not threatened, he said.
Residents of the 48 apartments were told last week that they would need to vacate within 30 days, Darner said.
On Friday, after more movement, she said the building was yellow-tagged, and residents were given 24 hours to get out.
R.W. Selby & Co. owns multiple-family housing units in Orange and Los Angeles counties, Las Vegas and Henderson, Nev., among other places.
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