Rivermist residents Tuesday got their first chance to ask the city questions about plans released last week for hillside repairs and retaining wall reconstruction in their neighborhood
But at the meeting organized by city staff, everyone's attention ultimately focused on the party not in attendance: the builder.
Officials from Centex Homes and parent company Pulte Homes were no-shows at the informational meeting the city had organized, saying they won't meet with consumer activist groups that have gotten involved in the Rivermist community, where dozens of residents want the builder to buy back their homes.
But City Councilman Reed Williams said the reason for the no-show had more to do with legalities than politics.
âThey are just in a very difficult situation with their legal department over what they can do and where they can go and what they can say,â Williams said.
âThat is such a ... lame excuse,â said Mary Moreno, whose daughter lives in Rivermist.
The last time Centex met with a group of residents was Jan. 25.
Williams said he was disappointed the city couldn't persuade the builder to attend.
The builder offered to meet with individual homeowners Friday, and will host a meeting with the neighborhoods' homeowners associations in April.
âWe have made a long-term commitment to the city and remain diligent in resolving the issue caused by the slope failure at the Rivermist community,â Laurin Darnell of Centex Homes said in a prepared release. âSome of the participants in today's meeting, however, are groups who do not have the best interest of the residents of the Rivermist community.â
The ground shifted and a large retaining wall collapsed on a steep slope in the neighborhood Jan. 24. Since then, the city suspended the certificates of occupancy for 27 homes, and many of the homeowners have been living in hotels, apartments and rental homes with limited access to their properties.
Centex has made buyback offers to 20 homeowners in The Hills of Rivermist who live along the top of the slope, as well as to the owners of the seven homes in the Rivermist neighborhood whose homes sit just below the spot where the wall split open and crumbled.
Residents on Tuesday asked the city to help them get more information from the builder â particularly about how much and what kind of fill dirt was brought into the neighborhood, any topographical maps of the area before it was developed, information from soil testing and whether there is a water source somewhere on the land.
One woman said a sinkhole had opened on the street near her home in 2007. Despite a repair, she said the ground is sinking again.
Brian Ramirez said he told company officials at the Jan. 25 meeting that they could come to his house and see the construction defects.
âHaven't heard a peep,â he said. But he did get a letter from the company's attorney. âApparently they have lawyers running their customer service,â he said. âThat's ridiculous.â
Williams said that any information the city receives will be available to residents.
âAnything that you want that we have, you can have,â he said.
City officials showed residents Centex's conceptual plans for a new retaining wall that's 1,700 feet long. The new wall will be built in front of the existing retaining wall, and will include reinforced concrete piers driven 10 to 30 feet into the ground and reinforced concrete panels between the piers. The company will give the city formal engineering plans by April 30.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/88965822.html
Reader Comments
Definitely time for a Home Lemon Law .. lobby for it ! This is the tip of the iceberg. The City doesn't inspect homes as most people expect. Fire everyone in the city that has let this laissez-fiare attitude become "business as usual." That includes Sanchez ! Fire him and the City Manager !
Eric4:42 PM
Let me see if I understand this. If someone stands up for the homeowner's that's a special interest group. But if Centex doesn't show up it's protecting it's shareholders? The way you protect shareholders is by doing the job right the first time. Not breaking laws and paying off city hallers. It's obvious the city is in bed with the homebuilders. Otherwise, things like this couldn't happen. I would recommend to the homeowners that they be aware that Centex will try to divide and conquer. They will start by trying to meet with each homeowner individually and get them to sign-off for pennies on the dollar. This is what happens when there is no oversight and no consequences for homebuilders when they break laws.
Mongo2:01 AM
John7:53 PM