Spencer Pratt, Heidi Montag sue city of L.A. and DWP after losing home in Palisades fire
Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, along with other homeowners in Pacific Palisades, have filed a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power due to damage to their properties during the Palisades fire. This legal action is one more case added to the increasing number of lawsuits against the city following the disaster.
Stars from the reality shows “Laguna Beach” and “The Hills”, who suffered property loss due to the fire, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday at the Los Angeles County Superior Court. The lawsuit claims inverse condemnation, a legal idea that allows property owners to receive compensation for damage caused by public use.
In the aftermath of the Palisades fire, over 20 property owners, tenants, and affected individuals accused both the city and the utility company of damaging their properties by improperly managing its water supply and associated infrastructure.
A report mentioned issues with the Santa Ynez Reservoir, which usually serves Pacific Palisades. However, according to reports from Los Angeles Times, this reservoir had been out of service for repairs since early 2024, and it remained empty as of January 7 when the fire broke out. The DWP’s head of water operations informed The Times that the urgent repairs requested in January 2024 would not be completed until April or May of 2025.
California
Come early February 2024, following a string of heavy downpours, I noticed a rip in the protective covering of our reservoir, as per my personal collection of internal emails, which were scrutinized by The Times.
The current state of the reservoir has led to widespread anger towards the DWP and its management, resulting in Governor Gavin Newsom instructing an investigation into why water pressure was lost at fire hydrants, hindering fire suppression efforts within the city. So far, at least two legal actions have been initiated over this issue.
Previous and present representatives from the DWP have admitted that if Santa Ynez Reservoir had been filled, higher-lying regions of the Palisades might have experienced greater water pressure for an indeterminate period. However, it remains uncertain whether the reservoir would have significantly impacted firefighters’ capacity to suppress the flames, which scorched over 23,400 acres. The blaze was reported as 72% contained by Thursday, having started more than two weeks prior.
The Palisades wildfire, ignited by exceptionally arid weather and vegetation, was exacerbated by hurricane-strength winds, resulting in 11 fatalities, the destruction of 6,662 structures, and damage to 890 others. Initial control efforts were hampered due to Santa Ana winds that prohibited the immediate deployment of aircraft and helicopters, according to water management experts. They explained that municipal water systems are not designed to handle such infernos.
However, the Pratts and plaintiffs argued that the Defendant Waterworks Department (DWP) intentionally ran the water supply system with an empty reservoir, which they claimed was a cost-saving measure. This action reportedly reduced the amount of water flowing to the area’s fire hydrants and water tankers. Moreover, the plaintiffs asserted that the water system designed by the defendants was not equipped to handle urban fires due to insufficient water pressure.
Entertainment & Arts
A number of Los Angeles County locals, including Paris Hilton, Mandy Moore, Jeff Bridges, Mel Gibson, and Britney Spears, have been impacted along with others due to the devastation caused by historical wildfires in the area.
The complaint, acquired on Thursday by The Times, asserts that the city and utility’s facilities, reservoir, water system, hydrants, infrastructure, and other public improvement projects posed an inherent danger and risk of fire to private properties. Furthermore, it accuses the city and utility of knowingly taking a calculated risk, which could result in private property being damaged or destroyed by fire.
According to the information available, the Palisades Fire was an inevitable result of the water supply system designed for Pacific Palisades and its surrounding areas. The system’s construction was such that it was bound to fail, and this failure significantly contributed to the Plaintiffs experiencing the losses they claim in this lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, the harm sustained was primarily and significantly due to the actions taken by the Defendants, and each one of them individually contributed to the damages suffered by the Plaintiffs.
In my perspective as a moviegoer reviewing this case, I find myself deeply troubled by the claims made by the defendants. They assert that they are owed significant damages due to property losses, which they allege were either destroyed or severely damaged – incidents they claim were instigated by the defendants themselves. To put it bluntly, they argue that these events represent a seizure or harm of their properties, carried out without the fair reimbursement that is legally required.
California
Since 2011, Frank Smiley and his family have resided in a cottage from the 1940s. Unfortunately, the Palisades fire caused devastation to their home, compelling them to relocate to Marina del Rey.
They are aiming to recoup expenses related to fixing or obtaining new property that was damaged or no longer exists, compensation for missed earnings or company income, as well as living expenditures due to temporary home unavailability, and legal fees too.
On Thursday, neither the representatives from Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto’s office nor the DWP provided a prompt response to The Times’ inquiries seeking comments.
The Pratts have been vocal about their losses in the fire and their fundraising efforts across social media and news interviews. Recently, Spencer Pratt asked fans to purchase and stream his wife’s 2010 album “Superficial,” which reached No. 1 on iTunes as a result. He also mentioned that he earned a significant sum on TikTok from people wishing to aid their family’s recovery. A representative for the couple did not reply promptly when asked for comment on Thursday.
Currently, over twenty lawsuits have been initiated against Southern California Edison due to the Eaton fire that devastated significant areas of Altadena. This disaster occurred concurrently with the Palisades fire. The claimants argue that there is evidence indicating that the Eaton fire was ignited by equipment belonging to SCE.
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2025-01-24 00:31