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Dozens Of Homeowners Sue D-R Horton Over Building Defects

DENVER (CBS4)- A CBS4 Investigation found more than a dozen townhouse communities built in Colorado by D.R. Horton have sued over building defects.

D.R. Horton calls itself "America's Builder." The company has payed out tens of millions of dollars in settlements to those lawsuits.

Prairie Ridge, located in Aurora, was built eight years ago.

"I like my house. I just would like a house that's not falling apart," said homeowner Jennifer Rubino.

She is also the head of the Homeowners' Association. Many residents have complained that their residences look more like a construction zone than a neighborhood. Yellow stripes along the sidewalks warn residents of hazards in the complex.

"I've tripped over it a couple of times and finally put out a cone so other people wouldn't trip," said resident Dawn Coulter.

"These are incredibly invasive trees, the roots can damage the foundation, so they are going to have to come down eventually," said Rubino.

Some residents have complained about water running into their homes from balconies above.

"It rains into your house. Basically, it rains down the side. This last time, into both of my living room windows," said resident Katrina Robinson.

Other problems include mold and standing frozen water in the winter.

This is a partial list of the multi-family developments that have sued D.R. Horton, claiming defects due to shoddy construction: Prairie Ridge, Landing at Cherry Creek, Windermere, Mansion Park, Lake Arbor Fairways, Colony at Cherry Creek, Cherry Grove II, Marina Pointe, Westbury Farms, Willow Trace, Park Avenue, Carlyle Park, Canyon Creek, Stapleton II, Stapleton VI and Sterling Commons.

Most settlements are confidential. CBS4 Investigates learned The Summit at Rock Creek in Broomfield received a $39.5 million settlement. St. Andrews at Plum Creek in Castle Rock settled for $20 million. Carlyle Park in Highlands Ranch received an unspecified eight figure settlement.

"We haven't seen the same with other production builders. I think we probably have more D.R. Horton cases than any other builder," said attorney Doug Benson.

In a statement, D.R. Horton said all of its homes are covered by a warranty and homeowners have slowed the repair process by going through lawyers and, "Our homeowners' satisfaction is important and we encourage our homeowners to contact us directly so we may address any issues as quickly as possible. D.R. Horton stands behind its warranty."

When asked for a comment, D.R. Horton attorney Buck Mann responded, "Ever since I've been a prosecutor I've never spoken to the press because you guys never get it right."

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