Marin County Superior Court ordered 82‑year‑old David Lee Hoffman to vacate the 2‑acre compound known as The Last Resort on September 15, 2024, after decades of disputes over unpermitted construction.
Since moving onto the hills of Lagunitas in 1971, Hoffman had built at least 36 structures, many of them without the permits required by county officials.
The first stop‑work order came in 1988, and a 2015 court placed the property under receivership, but Hoffman’s lawyers fought extensions until the latest ruling.
Despite the enforcement battle, the Architectural Commission approved the site’s architectural significance in 2016, and the National Register added The Last Resort in 2024, yet the unpermitted status remained unresolved.
Hoffman has spent roughly $1 million on legal fees, and his current attorney continues to represent him pro bono as he relocates to a friend's home, having removed only a fraction of his 50,000‑pound tea stash.
The receiver has taken possession of the property, and the county plans to hold a sale auction later this year, leaving Hoffman to decide whether to fight again or accept the loss.