More than 50 current and former residents of Olive Dell Ranch, a historic nudist resort in Southern California, have filed a lawsuit against the property's owners, accusing them of civil rights violations, unfair business practices, and financial elder abuse. The suit claims the owners deliberately made conditions unlivable to force out long-term tenants, many of whom are elderly or disabled.
The 136-acre resort in the San Jacinto foothills was established as a naturist community in 1952. After new owners—Mark Glasier, Brian Cleland, and Tina Coffelt—purchased the property in 2019, they initially pledged to maintain its nudist identity. However, in late 2024, they announced a ban on nudity, requiring clothing at all times, a move residents describe as a 'substantial cultural shift'. One owner allegedly referred to nudists as 'nasty people'.
Residents also allege that the owners neglected maintenance, allowing the pool to turn green, closing the sauna and restaurant, and halting landscaping in a fire-prone area. Roads fell into disrepair, trash service lapsed, and residents lost access to potable water. Electricity costs reportedly doubled or tripled after the owners installed their own meters. The lawsuit further claims that after a double homicide on the property in 2023, the owners refused to clean the site, leading to rodent infestations.
Attorney Frances M. Campbell, representing the residents, said, 'This at its heart is an anti-discrimination case.' She noted that residents have banded together to restore the pool and improve roads with their own money and labour. 'They are basically making the place as nice as they can and hoping this lawsuit changes something.'
A property manager named in the suit told local media that tenants engaged in vandalism and failed to pay rent and utility bills. Attempts to contact the resort for comment were unsuccessful.
