Pool Breaks Loose on Collapsing Hill, Threatens 4 Homes

The swimming pool of a home at the top of an undermined hill broke away from its foundation Tuesday, threatening to topple onto four homes below.

City officials granted an emergency permit for Sanford Schpiro, the owner of the hilltop home, to begin reinforcing the hill to prevent the swimming pool from following a fragment of patio down the slope.

Workers with tractors and huge drills were boring holes, removing dirt and preparing to pour concrete pilings Tuesday to stabilize the back yard and pool.

The city ordered three families to leave their houses Monday. Three more homes were damaged by the shifting soil Monday night.

At the base of the hill on Calle Lucana, the Paul Filipowicz residence, which was condemned Monday, was still standing, although it was cracked almost in half and hanging precariously over the street.

On Tuesday the families were helped by friends and neighbors as they continued moving their belongings out of their residences.

Residents speculated that a persistent leak from the pool began eroding the slope two months ago, and that the emptying of the pool for repairs on Sunday led to the hillside’s collapse on Monday.

Filipowicz said he believes that the slide was caused by the leaky swimming pool, but the Schpiros refused to comment on that, and city officials refused to assess blame.

The threatened homes are assessed at between $230,000 and $530,000.

City Engineer Bill Huber refused to speculate on the cause of the slide at a news conference Tuesday.

Geologists said, however, that the soil throughout the area is susceptible to slippage, especially when soaked.

There also was speculation from longtime resident Al Jimenez that lots along Via Alano were created within the last 15 years with extensive grading and filling, which might have contributed to the collapse.

“We can look at the cause of the slide once we have done the geological work,” Huber said.