In a recent incident that has caught the attention of social media users, wealthy beachfront property owners in Malibu appear to have adopted an underhanded strategy to deter unwanted visitors: posting deceptive “Private Property” signs with menacing warnings that trespassers will be prosecuted. The issue first gained prominence after a man filming these signs was confronted by an irate homeowner, an altercation captured in a viral TikTok video.
The video shows the property owner insisting that the filmmaker is not on public land and attempting to knock away his phone as he continues recording. The signs themselves display the words “Private Property” and “Beach Area is on Private Lots,” despite California State Coastal Conservancy’s assertion that all state beaches are publicly accessible under the California Coastal Act.
The source of these misleading signs remains unclear, as they claim to represent Malibu Encinal Homeowner Beach Lots. The California State Coastal Conservancy has acknowledged being made aware of the situation and is currently investigating the matter.
This is not the first time wealthy Californians have been accused of attempting to restrict access to public beaches. A year ago, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority accused Malibu officials of removing beach access signs, making it difficult for people to locate paths leading to the city’s publicly-owned beaches.
More recently, TikTok footage surfaced showing a woman erecting makeshift barriers around a Laguna Beach property she claimed as her own and demanding that passersby leave her land, despite its proximity to public beach areas. In some cases, wealthy residents have even funded the placement of large rocks and boulders in an effort to block off beach access points, according to SFGate.
California State Coastal Conservancy’s chief of enforcement, Lisa Haage, emphasized that public access is a cornerstone principle enshrined in the Coastal Act, and that her organization takes such matters seriously. As investigations continue into these deceptive tactics employed by some Malibu property owners, it remains to be seen whether the situation will improve for those seeking to enjoy their rightful access to public beaches.
