It’s been four months since a 25-foot wide, 40-foot deep sinkhole opened at the foot of the Bordeaux Village condominium building forcing a dozen families out of their homes. They still aren’t allowed back in the building because of safety concerns.
The reason for the exile: A squabble between the homeowner’s association and the insurance company that covers sinkhole damage to the building. It’s a dispute that won’t be solved any time soon, said Marielle Westerman, an attorney for the Bordeaux Village Homeowners Association.
That could mean some residents, now paying for temporary lodging on top of mortgages for a home they can’t get to, may lose their property.
Westerman said the conflict is over what needs to be done to stabilize the ground beneath the building and who’s going to pay for it. The situation is becoming more commonplace these days, as claims for sinkhole damage rise in Florida.