Long Beach homeowners lash out at Democratic mayor as homes collapse into ocean

Devastated Long Beach homeowners launched a scathing attack on Mayor Rex Richardson after Tropical Storm Rachel destroyed their multimillion-dollar beachfront houses. Dennis Poulsen, 84, built his beachside mansion on Ocean Boulevard 21 years ago and saw “just a little bit of water” seep inside last week, but his anger toward city hall ran deep. “The mayor of Long Beach doesn’t give a damn about this community… His natural constituency is not here and he doesn’t really care,” he told the Daily Mail. 6 A view of the Long Beach Peninsula as Tropical Storm Rachel batters the Southern California coast in Long Beach, California, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. Severe flooding and high tides shattered a section of the protective wooden bulkhead, shredding the historic boardwalk and swamping coastal neighborhoods. Zuma / SplashNews.com 6 In an aerial view, workers watch as Pacific Ocean waves wash into a seawall and damaged homes, amid high surf generated by Post-Tropical Storm Rachel, on Monday, October 12, 2026, in Long Beach, California. Getty Images Explore More Air Force commando dies after falling from 170-foot rafters during fast-rope demonstration at UTSA game Katie Zacharia pushed for disastrous Fox News interviews that led to her ouster as press secretary Kansas mom who crashed truck into youth soccer field, killing 2, released without charges — or explanation 6 Mayor Richardson said that the extreme weather has brought significant damage to the shoreline of Long Beach. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images For some residents, the storm turned dream homes into devastating losses. Natalie Cabrera, 59, who had rented a beachfront bungalow on the peninsula for just a year and a half, was left heartbroken after relentless waves battered her property and damaged its foundation. “I don’t want to leave. At all. Ever. This was my dream,” she told The California Post, describing how water forced its way underneath the building. “The floor is squishy. Because the ocean just kept hitting and hitting my home.” 6 A living room of a house damaged by waves is seen as Post-Tropical Cyclone Rachel impacts the coastline in Long Beach, California, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. REUTERS 6 A scene shows the Long Beach Peninsula on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. Jon Putman for CA Post The latest storm comes after Southern California’s coastline was battered by Hurricane Marie over Labor Day weekend and Hurricane Polo in the following weeks. Peninsula resident Robert Wells, 80, whose family has owned a summer home in the area since 1962, called the storm’s destruction unprecedented. “It’s never happened like this before,” Wells told The Post. He pointed blame directly at city officials, claiming a protective sand berm actually exacerbated the flooding, turning what could have been minor damage into a major disaster. “There is a class action lawsuit forming against the city of Long Beach,” he said. 6 A view shows scenes from the Long Beach Peninsula on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. Jon Putman for CA Post Long Beach officials distributed 7,600 sandbags to residents, bringing the total handed out during the three recent storms to approximately 15,000. As of last Sunday, at least eight buildings representing 13 addresses were red-tagged as unsafe to enter, while another was yellow-tagged, allowing residents limited access to retrieve their belongings, according to Mayor Richardson. “These kinds of impacts are not normal. They’re unprecedented for our community, and while our crews have been working hard day and night… These continued threats have brought significant damage right to our shoreline’s front door,” Mayor Richardson had said last week. Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters California Post News : Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , X , YouTube , WhatsApp , LinkedIn California Post Sports Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , YouTube , X California Post Opinion California Post Newsletters : Sign up here! California Post App : Download here! Home delivery : Sign up here! Page Six Hollywood : Sign up here!