Live Oak residents appeal to mayor, council for help in addressing problematic homes
The Live Oak City Council’s regular agenda June 12 quickly became anything but regular, as dozens of disenchanted homeowners and their supporters packed into council chambers to have their voices heard... Armed with high emotions and photos of homes deteriorating from the inside-out, residents showed or described two-inch cracks along the walls, doors and windows unable to be opened or closed, and garages and yards ruined from the damage caused by flooding as a result of their homes being built in a floodplain. Residents pleaded with the city to come to their rescue... Homeowners are getting more accomplished taking their problems to their publicly elected officials. This includes the local, state and federally elected officials,” Ahmad said. “The point is to apply direct pressure to the builders rather than become inundated with lawsuits,” she added. View: photos

‘We’re living in a nightmare …’
Live Oak residents appeal to mayor, council for help in addressing problematic homes

The Herald - News
By Steve Davidson
Contributing Writer

The Live Oak City Council’s regular agenda June 12 quickly became anything but regular, as dozens of disenchanted homeowners and their supporters packed into council chambers to have their voices heard.

Frustrated residents from Live Oak’s Bridlewood Park subdivision crowded into council chambers, ready to let the city know of their frustration and discontent once the council reached the “Citizens to be Heard” portion of the agenda.

And citizens were definitely heard from.

Resident after resident from the troubled subdivision made their way to the podium, intent on making known to the mayor and council their dissatisfaction with their homebuilder, Ryland Homes.

Armed with high emotions and photos of homes deteriorating from the inside-out, residents showed or described two-inch cracks along the walls, doors and windows unable to be opened or closed, and garages and yards ruined from the damage caused by flooding as a result of their homes being built in a floodplain. Residents pleaded with the city to come to their rescue.

“Please help us. It’s not right that we’re being treated this way by Ryland Homes,” pleaded one frustrated resident.

“We’re living in a nightmare in these homes,” said another Bridle-wood Park resident.

“Why, after contacting the city’s assistant manager, Scott Wayman, with our problem as far back as eight months ago, did he do nothing but refer us back to Ryland?” questioned yet another embittered resident.

“Ryland Homes needs to buy back our homes,” demanded another Bridlewood Park resident.

The frustrated homeowners were not without significant support. Janet Ahmad, president of Home Owners for Better Building (HOBB), was on hand to inform City Council of the significance of the residential problem existing within Bridlewood Park.

According to Ahmad, whose nationally recognized organization is involved in extensive lobbying efforts with various state legislatures to change laws that would protect new home buyers, “Most homeowners don’t know what to do beyond getting an attorney. Homeowners are getting more accomplished taking their problems to their publicly elected officials. This includes the local, state and federally elected officials,” Ahmad said.

“The point is to apply direct pressure to the builders rather than become inundated with lawsuits,” she added.

She said Bridlewood Park residents bringing their concerns to City Hall “have every right” to lodge complaints against the homebuilder.

“The homeowners are stuck in homes that will be systemic for a while,” she said. “Their homes have been built on expansive soil. Cut into a hillside, their homes did not receive the necessary easements to channel water away from their homes. And worse? Their homes were knowingly built upon a floodplain.”

Residents can expect this matter to be addressed quickly. Mayor Henry Edwards Jr. ended “Citizens to be Heard” by stating, sternly, “There will be an item on the next agenda of the council to address this.”

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