[Bjeanj]

Originally Posted by sail33or

As a Civil Engineer, this appears to be a construction issue. A sinkhole would be a dissolving of a deeper strata. This is a "surface" collapse from moving runoff water.

Regardless, the Developer (as rich as they are)(And I mean rich, rich) should just fix it. Because it would give future buyers comfort not to worry about locations of possible sinkholes. The Villages could actually insure themselves for sinkholes. If there were more attention and it affected home sales, they would step in.

Anyway, Developer should fix and then go after any money or insurance from all sources responsible.

Here’s my question, and I am not trying to be a smart a**, facetious, or anything other than straightforward.

Why would the developer get involved? He sold the home and land about 15 years ago, and presumably the land and infrastructure was completed maybe 15-20 years ago. The homeowner owns his land and home, the county or CDD is responsible for the streets and its maintenance and repair, and acts of god, age, or some other reason caused the land and pipes to subside. I wouldn’t think the cause would be due to poor workmanship, as the infrastructure has lasted this long.

The developer is a businessman, not a reinsurer or benevolent deity. Doesn’t matter if he’s rich rich. At what point would one expect him to be done with a project and move on? I don’t know that he has a “dog in this fight”.

Insurance, if purchased, would cover the damage to the home and remediation to the property. If no insurance was purchased, that is a harsh and expensive lesson to both the current and future homeowners. The county or CDD (whoever is in charge of the streets/sewer system) would be in charge of those items.

Yes, I feel bad for the homeowners in the area, and something must be done. What? I don’t know. But I don’t know any reason that the developer would get involved.

[Velvet]

Has an assessment of the construction underground been made? Other then the degree of density built on the land in TV and the weight of these houses might be also looked at. There are many possible contributing factors and each one will be assigned a probability. Just like in a car accident. But there is always new literature, new analysis the findings of which are determined by who paid for them. I think those things are holding up the resolution, plus the fact that no one wants to pay for it.

Reminds me of the people who built on the land by the Kilauea volcano that erupted in Hawaii. They knew it is the most active volcano but it is in such a beautiful place. They took a chance and whole towns were destroyed last year. This year they are building in the same place again, no insurer offers property insurance... I guess when you buy where you know is the center of sink hole activity in Florida then ....

My beef is also with letting the sales people off for not declaring the chances of sinkhole in TV as many people come here who have not even heard about such things, as for example, my relatives.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by justjim

A sinkhole in or near our property could happen to anyone of us living here in The Villages or,elsewhere in Florida. The problem, as I see it, lies in Tallahassee. Our representatives have let us down when it comes to this issue. You are never going to get them”insurance industry” to properly provide the type of insurance needed to handle this problem. A self insured fund needs to be setup to handle the cost of fixing such sinkhole problems. Like the OP, I think it’s a disgrace what has happen to our neighbors and friends in the north end of The Villages.

As to sinkhole insurance, you can purchase and pay for it.

As to sinkhole risk. I'm no expert but I've wondered how quickly they can possibly develop. I assume in most cases we do not even know it is a risk in that spot. Seems to me ground penetrating radar and or some of the techniques used to locate oil etc could find it long before a sink hole says you shoulda coulda mighta.

I recall when we bought our place the Villages sales person asked us if we were interested in another new place where they had restored a sink hole. Apparently they must tell you. If, I recall it was like 10% less.

[Velvet]

No, they don’t have to tell you and they don’t. The only exception is by Florida law you must declare a sinkhole that was repaired on a property or an adjacent property and that’s what you got. I think it is unbelievable that people who don’t know anything about sinkholes are sold homes without ANY warning. I only learned about it accidentally. There was a house on Hacienda golf course the bank was selling as a foreclosure, and even though there had been no sinkholes around that area the bank HAD to declare on the form they must fill out that it is a hazard in the area. That form was what alerted me to look into sinkholes in Florida for the first time.

[sail33or]

The problem is that this is "NOT" a sinkhole.

The collapse is around the street collection drain.

Water was running UNDER the street and driveway instead of on top.

Please quit saying it is a SINKHOLE.

So this is a finger pointing assignment of blame situation. The Developer hired the Contractor. The Developer builds on SAND. I agree the Developer is clear, not NOW responsible and has moved on to other sand.

But, I assure you the Developer has a huge interest in this NOT escalating. If it were in the News more, it would cause all buyers to consider other communities.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by sail33or

The problem is that this is "NOT" a sinkhole.

The collapse is around the street collection drain.

Water was running UNDER the street and driveway instead of on top.

Please quit saying it is a SINKHOLE.

So this is a finger pointing assignment of blame situation. The Developer hired the Contractor. The Developer builds on SAND. I agree the Developer is clear, not NOW responsible and has moved on to other sand.

But, I assure you the Developer has a huge interest in this NOT escalating. If it were in the News more, it would cause all buyers to consider other communities.

I recently spoke to a golf ambassador at Lopez and asked him if the 9 holes that are currently closed is due to course renovations. He said "no, the 9 holes are closed because of another issue". I said, "are you referring to the sinkholes that opened up in that area"? He said, "we have been instructed to not refer to them as what you called them, we refer to them as depressions"! So employees of the Villages have been instructed to not say the "S" word, but rather call them depressions.

I would submit that the sinkholes are not depressions, but that they do indeed cause depression for the unlucky Villagers who own homes near the sinkholes!

[Velvet]

I love it! We just redefine the definition of a sink hole and by golly we don’t have any... anywhere.