LARGO, Fla. (WFLA) — A Largo renter who discovered a hole in her backyard after Hurricane Ian has major concerns as the hole grows, and reached out to WFLA for help.
Colleen Davis said the hole is leading to foundation issues with her rental home, which backs up to McKay’s Creek. When Davis and her three kids returned home after evacuating for Hurricane Ian, she noticed the hole in her backyard.
“It’s horribly terrifying,” she said. “I haven’t slept since I noticed a hole.”
Davis said her rental home has shifted a quarter of an inch off the foundation.
“My home is falling apart, my yard is sinking,” said Davis. “I call it a sinkhole. It’s gotten bigger.”
She said it’s causing cracks inside her bedroom, as well as her daughter’s bedroom. She said there are cracks outside the house as well.
“I’m a single mom with three kids. I don’t have the means to just hop out of here and go somewhere else,” said Davis. “I can’t break the lease. I don’t know — we can’t get a hold of the insurance company, we’ve got nothing.”
Davis called the City of Largo looking for help last week.
“They’re calling it a washout,” she said. “It keeps growing, doesn’t seem like a washout – there’s been no rain.”
The city came out and told Davis it’s the homeowners responsibility.
“I can’t get an adjuster out here – nothing,” said Davis.
Now she’s fearful of what could happen, especially if there’s rain.
Davis said a similar situation happened to the neighbor’s house about a year ago and they had to pump concrete into the ground to fix the problem.
The City of Largo sent News Channel 8 this statement:
A City Team Member met with the tenant at the property and observed the depression forming next to a tree along the creek bank. The City determined the creek and the creek bank are private property. City staff reached out to the property owner and informed him of this situation developing on his property and reminded him this was his responsibility to keep the property safe.”
City of Largo
