It’s nice to have an apartment on a cliff overlooking the ocean — until the cliff decides to stop existing. That’s what is happening to one apartment complex in Pacifica, CA.

According to KTVU, people are abandoning the buildings because they fear an upcoming storm will further erode the cliff. One guy says he no longer feels comfortable living there — but that he can’t get out of his lease. The landlord apparently denies this.

From KTVU:

The fear is the impending storm will eat away more of the cliff and prompt more people to pack up and leave.

That’s what renter Paul Wells was doing Monday night. Just one month after moving in to 320 Esplanade, he’s moving out.

“I fear for my safety and I also fear for a very quick evacuation, much like what happened at the building next door at 330,” said Wells. “They had less than a day to pack up all of their belongings and get out.”

Since the evacuation of the neighboring building, crews have been working to shore up the crumbling bluff and save that building and two others.

But between the erosion caused by the past weekend’s high surf and Tuesday’s approaching storm and expected 20-foot surf, Wells decided it was time for him to go.

“Most of us have no confidence that most of the cliff will be there come Thursday morning,” explained Wells. “At the very least, we expect to be red-tagged or inspected for possible red-tagging that morning.”

In spite of the situation, Wells said building management refused to let him out of his lease. The landlord denied that claim.

This is what we’d call a “California problem.”

Storm Surf Puts Pacifica Residents On Edge [KTVU]

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