Not quite accurate. Most homes that were built in the last 15 or 20 years had to meet some of the most stringent building codes in the country. The problem is, some areas, not all, were just not met to build on. And this specific area was way over built, according to reports.
You are telling me that building on the edge of a mountain is not an accident waiting to happen? I don't care how well something is built, a mud/rock slide will take it out. These houses should never have been rebuilt on that site.
Some land in SoCal is not meant to have houses -- I can remember thinking several years ago when I was back there that there are more stupid people then before with where they had built house and when is the next major rock/mud slide going to occur. You don't build on the edge and no amount of building codes are going to make a difference.
I remember the road out near where Marineland used to be -- always in bad shape because of earth movement and yet dumb people built houses around there for the view. I have no sympathy if you have no common sense.