Questions remain about Colorado Springs landslides
A wet April with more wet weather predicted for the weekend could worsen the landslide problem in Colorado Springs.
Record rainfall last spring activated landslides in several west side neighborhoods, damaging homes and property and prompting 84 homeowners to apply for a federal buyout program.
The city has sought federal help for landslides three times since landslides began to be charted in the 1970s.
Affected homeowners are wondering why many homes were built in landslide zones despite five decades of warnings from geologists and engineers.
“It looks to me as though the potential for disaster was totally ignored, for — if I can use the word — greed,” said Bob Jardon, a landslide victim living on Broadmoor Bluffs Drive.
“That’s just basically what it amounts to,” said Jardon.
However, Tim Seibert, president of the Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs, disagrees.
“I don’t think anyone would do it purposely, knowingly, because there are lots of hazards out there in building a home,” he said.
There’s also concern about whether building continues in high-risk areas and how many homes are in danger of landslide damage.
Some homeowners believe that the city, developers, builders and real estate agents should be held responsible for knowing about landslide risks and not disclosing them to potential buyers.
But Seibert said that since 1996, the city has required developers to obtain a geologic hazards report for homes in landslide zones.
The report is provided by an engineer or geologist and is reviewed by the city and the Colorado Geological Survey if any problems are found, and the review determines whether homes will be built in the area.
However, homebuyers must ask to see the report; no one is required to tell them what it contains.
“The question is, is there fraud?” Jardon said. “If there is fraud for this development, then yes, the individuals and the government itself could be responsible. But proving fraud is really tough.”
Seibert said he understands that victims want to assess blame, but they also should accept responsibility themselves.
“When someone is looking to buy a house in any location, we clearly want to encourage them to make sure they read that stack of 3-inch papers that they get,” he said. “There’s a lot of valuable information in there. We also educate our builders and our developers.”
Two real estate attorneys told KRDO NewsChannel 13 that victims have legal grounds to file a lawsuit, but Jardon said an attorney told him the statute of limitations has expired on all aspects of the situation.
“I’m not angry, just frustrated,” he said. “My house is slowly breaking apart, and it could be years before I get any federal buyout money.”
