D.R. Horton Ordered To Pay To Repair Crumbling Community

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - A major builder in the Denver metro area has been ordered to pay some $4 million to a crumbling community after a decision from an arbitration judge.

4 On Your Side Investigator Rick Sallinger first reported last summer about the long list of legal actions against D.R. Horton.

The judgment means homeowners in Prairie Ridge at Saddle Rock will now have repairs done to fix the problems that have been plaguing them for too long.

At first glance Prairie Ridge at Saddle Rock looks a like a great community. But a closer examination reveals shaky fixtures, crumbling sidewalks, water dripping from balconies into homes, a falling retaining wall, and more. Now after a long legal battle the home owner's association has won the money to do most of the large repairs.

"We've got about a year construction schedule coming and it's going to be a bit of a mess, but I think everybody's going to breathe a sigh of relief once these major repairs are completed," HOA President Jennifer Rubino said.

They argued that the construction was shoddy, improper drainage created winter problems, and they had year-round mold.

"(It's) silly to take this long. So six, seven years, something like that, is a long time to just get back to zero," HOA Vice President Justin Wilkie said.

Prairie Ridge at Saddle Rock is just one of many communities that have taken action against D.R. Horton over construction defects.

HOA attorney Doug Benson said he believes there is a systemic problem with D.R. Horton and the communities it builds.

"We've seen it historically over the last 14 years," Benson said.

Homeowners at Carlyle Park in Highlands Ranch received a huge amount from D.R. Horton to fix construction problems. Two years later the repairs are still taking place. Carlyle Park resident Esther Ammon had just moved in and now has to move out.

"My husband is very asthmatic and he has lung problems. He uses an inhaler sometimes, and we're not going to stay here while they're doing all of this construction with dust everywhere," Ammon said.

Residents say they wish building inspectors would have caught the problems before they moved in.

D.R. Horton issued a statement claiming they offered to fix the problems at Prairie Ridge at Saddle Rock, but couldn't because the homeowners sued and ended up getting what they offered in the first place. The HOA disagrees.