San Clemente residents return to home after three-week-long evacuation
Hugh O'Donnell is back on Buena Vista after he was evacuated from his San Clemente apartment complex after a massive landslide took out a good portion of the back patio at his oceanfront apartment complex three weeks ago.
"Feels great. I love the neighborhood," said O'Donnell. "I love the community. I was one of the lucky ones because I'm one of two units that was open. The other two it's going to take some time to reopen but for the two of us we're very lucky that's all I can say."
In addition to O'Donnell's complex three other buildings were red-tagged. In total, three have reopened but with some restrictions. Next door to O'Donnell, the red tag is gone at his Airbnb but a fence has been put up to keep people away from the pool which now sits on the edge of the cliff. As soon as the water and gas are reconnected at the building the owner will welcome guests.
"This is of course designed to keep people from entering this danger area here where the pool is, obviously," said San Clemente Mayor Chris Duncan. "You can't be in the pool and if you know right on the other side ... there's nothing."
A peek over the side shows the patio furniture that tumbled when the land gave way. San Clemente Mayor Chris Duncan is proud of the work done by city staff to help displaced residents get back home. A third building has had it's red tag removed as well.
"City's responsibility is to be sure everything is safe," said Duncan. That's why we had the red tags put on initially. Then it becomes the property owner's responsibility to hire geological experts and others to investigate, do analysis and present that information to the city that it is in fact safe."
It is unclear when the last apartment complex will be reopened.
