Residents of a once-prominent nudist colony in California are suing the current owners, accusing them of driving tenants out through neglect, rising costs, and forced changes to the community’s way of life—including now requiring clothes.
According to the Los Angeles Times, 56 plaintiffs—made up of tenants, guests, and members—have filed a lawsuit in San Bernardino County Superior Court against the owners of Olive Dell Ranch. The suit claims the new owners, who bought the 136-acre property in 2019, have let the site fall into disrepair with overflowing trash, green pool water, rodent infestations, and halted maintenance.
Residents say water and electricity have been shut off in shared areas, and monthly rents have jumped—some spaces now listed at $900, far above what current tenants pay. Many of the longtime residents are elderly, disabled, or low-income.
The lawsuit also alleges that following two high-profile killings at the ranch in 2024, the owners escalated efforts to push people out. Adding to the tension: management recently told residents that clothing is now mandatory, according to KTLA—effectively ending the resort’s decades-long identity as a nudist community.
Founded in 1952 and located in the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains, Olive Dell Ranch was once known as “the friendliest nudist resort in Southern California.”
“This is a community of retired elderly, veterans, and disabled individuals who really have no other place to go,” the plaintiffs’ attorney said. The lawsuit seeks at least $5 million in damages, citing civil rights violations, elder abuse, and more.
The property’s owners did not respond to media requests for comment. However, a property manager told KTLA that some residents have committed vandalism and failed to pay rent or utility bills.