Potholes aren’t a big deal until you drive through one. A bigger deal; potholes that aren’t repaired for years, and it’s why one aggravated driver called Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser to see what can be done.
In life if you hit potholes, you move on. Patricia can’t. She lives with them.
Patricia Perez: “We love this neighborhood, except for the potholes.”
Right in front of her assigned parking space. Deep potholes.
Patricia Perez: “The size of me. I could go swimming in that pothole. This is an ongoing issue for two years now. It’s becoming a nightmare.”
An unexpected nightmare since Southern Pointe Villas was just built in 2021. But the potholes began appearing right after the ink on Patricia’s contract dried.
Patricia Perez: “I don’t even know if I could say they were ever small potholes because they’re big and they’re only getting bigger.”
Patricia contacted the developer right away.
Patricia Perez: “They filled the potholes at that time, but then, like a few weeks later, they reappeared.”
The builder then turned the property over to the association making the potholes their problem as they continued to pop up.
Patrick Fraser: “Have you counted the number of potholes?”
Patricia Perez: “No. Only these here.”
We counted. Twenty-six potholes in the road circling the small complex.
Sadly for Patricia, she wins the contest for the biggest ones.
Patricia Perez: “So you have to drive through here in and out through the potholes. Not good because it’s damaging your vehicle. I’ve had to replace two tires on my cars.”
More roadblocks. The management company in charge of getting the holes filled, left. Board members then had to go door to door to get the 88 owners to pay the $10,000 repair bill.
And the wait continued.
Patricia Perez: “I don’t even know if it’s going to be done. When it’s going to be done. We have nothing, no communication.”
Patricia thought buying in a new complex would eliminate wear and tear problems.
Nope.
Patricia Perez: “It’s frustrating for me, especially ’cause it’s right outside. I have to see it every day. This is a brand new community. We should not have this type of issue with our roads so early on.”
Well, Howard, potholes. Who has to repair them and who has to pay if they damage your car?
Howard Finkelstein, 7News legal expert: “In a case like this, where the association has taken control of the road, they are responsible for repairing it and might be responsible for any damage the pothole causes. As for a pothole on a city, county or state road, it’s similar. The government has to fix them, and if they are told about it and don’t repair them, they also might have to pay for any damages the pothole causes.”
I contacted the new property manager.
Orlando Gonzalez said he just took over after the prior management company dropped the ball. He said the board had approved the repair job. He was meeting with a contractor the next day and wanted to get the work done ASAP.
As you can see, two years after they started appearing, Patricia was able to watch the 26 potholes get paved over.
Patricia Perez: “I am going to be happy to be able to drive in and out of my parking space without having to run over potholes.”
She waited patiently then said ‘forget it’ and called Help Me Howard.
Patricia Perez: “And I am glad that I called Help Me Howard. I know for a fact without your guys help, this wouldn’t have been possible. Thank you, Patrick. Thank you Help Me Howard.”
You’re welcome, Patricia.
Now, clearly the developer and his road crew did a bad job and the association could go after them to get reimbursed for the $10,000 to repair the faulty road, but it would probably cost more than to win the case.
A hole lotta problems sinking you? Ready to steer around them? Let us pave the way for a smooth getaway.
With this Help Me Howard, I’m Patrick Fraser, 7News.
CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
Email: helpmehoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
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