Homeowners in a Lake County have filed a lawsuit alleging leaks in the county's water system caused the ground to shift, destroying and damaging some homes and devaluing others.
The county "water system was improperly maintained and controlled in a way that caused it to leak and, in turn, destabilize the land/hillside," according to the lawsuit filed Friday in Lake County Superior Court by Santa Rosa attorney Michael Green.
Landslides that began in March destroyed or damaged 17 homes. Others in the Lakeport-area subdivision have been devalued because no one wants to live there anymore, Green has said.
The lawsuit does not cite a dollar amount for the compensation sought by homeowners in the Lakeside Heights subdivision but seeks damages, attorney and engineering fees, and other costs that will be incurred in bringing the lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of more than 40 people who own 29 homes. They say they were forced to sue because homeowners' insurance policies typically do not cover such earth-movement problems, called "subsidence."
Jag Singh owns one of the homes that was rendered uninhabitable by the landslides. He's now renting a home in Nice. "I'm hoping we can get enough money back to buy another house," he said Tuesday.
County officials said they cannot comment on the lawsuit but Lake County Supervisor Tony Farrington previously said he believes it likely would take a judge to determine who is responsible and, as a result, a lawsuit is appropriate.
County officials believe there could be multiple reasons for the landslides.They include leaks in the subdivision's irrigation system and construction-related issues, such as poor soil compaction and shoddy construction.
Landslide damage to seven of the homes in the subdivision was severe enough to warrant mandatory evacuations. Voluntary evacuations were issued for 10 others.
Other residents have left their apparently sound homes, which have declined in value. Nearly half of the homes in the subdivision now are vacant, according to a homeowners association representative.
You can reach Staff Writer Glenda Anderson at 462-6473 or glenda.anderson@pressdemocrat.com.
UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy: