Government Sponsored Decay

California has a law that any state owned beach property must be made available for public use.

The community of Crystal Cove was owned by the Irvine Company, which leased lots on 50 year leases to people who built cottages in the 1920s. When the leases were up, they were renewed, but at some point the Irvine Company sold the land to the state. The state developed a plan to convert this area and these homes into a state park, evicting the long time residents whose families had built the cottages and instead renting them to tourists.

The residents fought the eviction. Many homes had been built and lived in for many generations. But as is usually the case, when the government wants something, it takes it. Eventually the residents lost and were told to leave.

Some of the cottages were renovated and are now available to rent on a daily basis, though getting a reservation is virtually impossible. About half the cottages were not renovated, and have been left to rot.

On a recent trip to this community I was far more fascinated by the decaying homes than the renovated ones. I visited this community often when it was occupied by permanent residents and remember when these houses were in good shape. Since the government takeover the place has positively decomposed. The structures look dangerous and some have surely decayed beyond redemption and will have to be destroyed.

Nevertheless I want to get inside some of them, stepping carefully to avoid the rotting wood flooring, not wanting to break a leg. I bet many of these places still have furniture inside. I doubt it will happen, but I think if you could sneak into a structure you could wander around a bit without being seen. It's climbing over the fence and crossing the open land in front of a beach full of people that would be a challenge.