Two Homes on the Same California Cliff — Only One Was Allowed a Seawall, Because of 1977

On a crumbling bluff north of Half Moon Bay, California, the state allowed a seawall in front of one building and refused it for the homes right next door. Same cliff. Same ocean. The only difference was the year they were built: 1972 and 1984. After a 2016 storm took 20 feet of bluff in front of the Casa Mira townhomes, owners asked for a permanent seawall. The California Coastal Commission approved only a 50-foot wall for the 1972 building. The owners sued, won in trial court, then lost on appeal. In 2025, the California Supreme Court declined to hear the case. Under the California Coastal Act, only structures that existed before January 1, 1977 have an automatic right to shoreline protection. In this documentary, we look at what seawalls do to beaches, the meaning of "coastal squeeze," the 1976 Coastal Act and Section 30235, the full Casa Mira case, the surprising twist involving the California Coastal Trail, what the ruling means for thousands of coastal homes, the 2034 sea level rise planning deadline, and why buyers are still not required to be warned. Because on the California coast, the year your home was built may decide whether you are allowed to defend it. New documentaries every week. Subscribe to see which coastline is next. Mara Wardwell — The hidden risks behind extraordinary homes. Sources: Casa Mira Homeowners Assn. v. California Coastal Commission, California Court of Appeal, First District (2024); California Supreme Court review denied (2025) California Coastal Commission hearing, July 2019; Sea Level Rise Policy Guidance California Coastal Act, Section 30235 Senate Bill 272 (Laird, 2023) Legislative Analyst's Office, "Preparing for Rising Seas" (December 2019) Half Moon Bay Review; Surfrider Foundation; Midcoast Community Council #HalfMoonBay #California #Seawall #CoastalErosion #CoastalCommission #PropertyRights #OceanfrontHomes #SeaLevelRise