For more than half a century, two acres in the hills of Lagunitas became the home, workplace and personal vision of California tea importer David Lee Hoffman. Over the decades, the property evolved into a maze of handmade buildings, caves and other structures, earning the name The Last Resort. Now, after years of legal battles over permits and code enforcement, Hoffman has been forced to leave, reports SFGATE. Scroll down to read his journey of struggle.A decades-long building battleAccording to SFGATE, Hoffman, 82, moved onto the Marin County property more than 53 years ago. Beginning in the 1970s and 1980s, he constructed structures that supported his approach to sustainable living and provided storage for his tea business and other belongings. The compound eventually grew to at least 36 structures, many of them built without the permits required by the county. A neighbor’s tip brought the property to the county’s attention. Officials issued the first stop-work order in 1988, beginning a long-running dispute over whether the structures should be removed, legalized or preserved.The report adds that the legal process continued for decades and in 2015, a court placed the property under receivership, but the case remained active as attorneys representing Hoffman sought additional time and the county granted extensions.Recognition complicates the pictureWhile the county pursued enforcement, the unusual compound developed a following among architects, neighbors, environmentalists and others fascinated by its unconventional design. As per SFGATE, Marin County’s Architectural Commission recognized the property’s architectural significance in 2016. A year later, a petition supporting Hoffman attracted 7,132 signatures. The property’s historic status received an additional boost in 2024, when The Last Resort was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The designation, however, did not resolve the underlying dispute over its unpermitted construction.Hoffman has acknowledged that the buildings lacked proper permits but has maintained that they were not unsafe. Enforcement actions and fines did little to prevent continued activity at the property, adds the report.Ordered to leaveThe long-running case reached a decisive point when Marin County Superior Court ordered Hoffman to vacate the compound. A court-appointed receiver took control of the property on Sept. 15, according to the county. And now, it remains unclear when the property will be put up for sale. Hoffman is temporarily staying with friends as he considers what comes next. Friends helped remove the tea and some artwork from the compound, but much of his property remains behind. Hoffman estimated that as much as 50,000 pounds of tea had been stored inside the hand-built caves, informs the online report.An uncertain futureThe legal battle has also come at considerable personal cost. Hoffman estimates he has spent about $1 million on attorney fees over the years. His current attorney is continuing to represent him without payment. For now, the future of The Last Resort remains uncertain.
