HARVEST, AL -
A man in Harvest gets a little anxious every time it rains. His house has flooded so many times, he doesn't even bother with putting carpet back in. WHNT NEWS 19 is opening the floodgates to a more widespread problem than most of us even realize.
Several real estate developers and builders have gone belly up over the years in Madison County.
These unfinished developments and unfinished subdivisions leave homeowners holding the bag.
When it rains it pours into their most expensive possession, their homes. And the county is log-jammed trying to finish the job they developers and builders have left behind.
"The previous builder of the home, you know of course, he left and left a lot of people hanging high and dry so to speak and you know I'm just one of them," says Vern Gohanna.
Gohanna is talking about Brian Homes, his homebuilder who went bankrupt.
When Gohanna bought his house in Harvest in 2002, the same developer built a subdivision behind his property but failed to put in a drainage ditch for water runoff. That failure opened the floodgates.
Gohanna says, "this is the fifth time the water has come in the house this year."
"Since January 2009 water has come in my home five times," Gohanna continued.
There's so much water, all of the carpet had to be ripped out. The foundation is cracking as well.
Gohanna says, "It's cracking about every 10 feet.
He says there are substantial cracks throughout his home from water that's rushing inside every time it rains and floods. He says the problem is so bad it's created unsanitary living conditions for his family.
"I've got four daughters who live here in this house with me and my wife and it's becoming unbearable," Gohanna asserts.
Gohanna has even gone so far as to meet with Madison County's Public Works Department and County Engineer David Pope. He says they've all promised to fix the problem.
In fact, Madison County Engineer David Pope told WHNT News 19 the county has developed plans to install a drainage ditch.
But Vern Gohanna says it's one empty promise after another.
"They promise, promise promise," Gohanna says.
He adds, "They give you a lot of lip service but when it comes down to actually doing the work, they won't do it."
So Gohanna asked WHNT News 19 to take action for him. He wants Madison County to do what they promised they would do, which is to build the drainage ditch so his most expensive purchase is protected and his family doesn't have to evacuate every time it floods.
As a taxpayer, he's angry.
Several real estate developers and builders have gone belly up over the years in Madison County.
These unfinished developments and unfinished subdivisions leave homeowners holding the bag.
When it rains it pours into their most expensive possession, their homes. And the county is log-jammed trying to finish the job they developers and builders have left behind.
"The previous builder of the home, you know of course, he left and left a lot of people hanging high and dry so to speak and you know I'm just one of them," says Vern Gohanna.
Gohanna is talking about Brian Homes, his homebuilder who went bankrupt.
When Gohanna bought his house in Harvest in 2002, the same developer built a subdivision behind his property but failed to put in a drainage ditch for water runoff. That failure opened the floodgates.
Gohanna says, "this is the fifth time the water has come in the house this year."
"Since January 2009 water has come in my home five times," Gohanna continued.
There's so much water, all of the carpet had to be ripped out. The foundation is cracking as well.
Gohanna says, "It's cracking about every 10 feet.
He says there are substantial cracks throughout his home from water that's rushing inside every time it rains and floods. He says the problem is so bad it's created unsanitary living conditions for his family.
"I've got four daughters who live here in this house with me and my wife and it's becoming unbearable," Gohanna asserts.
Gohanna has even gone so far as to meet with Madison County's Public Works Department and County Engineer David Pope. He says they've all promised to fix the problem.
In fact, Madison County Engineer David Pope told WHNT News 19 the county has developed plans to install a drainage ditch.
But Vern Gohanna says it's one empty promise after another.
"They promise, promise promise," Gohanna says.
He adds, "They give you a lot of lip service but when it comes down to actually doing the work, they won't do it."
So Gohanna asked WHNT News 19 to take action for him. He wants Madison County to do what they promised they would do, which is to build the drainage ditch so his most expensive purchase is protected and his family doesn't have to evacuate every time it floods.
As a taxpayer, he's angry.
