By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-09-30 20:07:11 | Updated at 2024-10-01 11:32:01
15 hours ago
Residents of Johnstown, Colorado, have been forced to pack up and leave their homes for a shocking reason – their houses were built on a pond.
Now homeowners have been left scrambling to sell everything they own before bulldozers move in to demolish their properties.
Holly Sturgon, a resident for almost 11 years, is among those forced to leave.
'People walking down through this neighborhood have got to look at this and just say, what in the world?' Sturgon told 9News.
'This was originally a retention pond, and in a flood last year, it came to light that it needs to be a retention pond,' she added.
Homeowners have been left scrambling to sell everything they own before bulldozers move in to demolish their properties. Holly Sturgon (pictured), a resident for almost 11 years, is among those forced to leave.
Their homes were built on what was originally a retention pond (Pictured: a flooded Johnstown earlier this year
The nightmare began when Sturgon's basement flooded after a over a decade of living in the home without problems.
It was then that the horrifying truth came to light - their homes were built on what was originally a retention pond.
The builder had filled in the pond and constructed houses without disclosing this crucial information to buyers.
Following last year's flood, the town of Johnstown made the difficult decision to buy back four homes, with plans to bulldoze the land and rebuild the retention pond.
This left residents like Sturgon with no choice but to leave their 'forever homes' behind.
'Up until a month ago I probably cried almost every single day. You can hear me choking up about it now,' Sturgon said. 'Going through this part of it, it tears at my heartstrings every day.'
The nightmare began when Sturgon's basement flooded after a over a decade of living in the home without problems
Following last year's flood, the town of Johnstown made the difficult decision to buy back four homes, with plans to bulldoze the land and rebuild the retention pond (Pictured: Sturgon's home before it was disassembled)
This left residents like Sturgon with no choice but to leave their 'forever homes' behind
In a desperate attempt to salvage something from this disaster, Sturgon has resorted to selling literally everything.
'I've sold toilets. I've sold lighting fixtures. I've sold air conditioning units. I've sold garage doors. Siding. Gutters. Everything is for sale,' she said.
'Make me a moderately small, reasonable offer, and it is absolutely yours to take and go home with.'
The scene in Johnstown is now filled with trailers parked in front lawns loading up belongings. '
The compensation offered by the town of Johnstown wasn't even enough for families like the Sturgons to stay in Colorado.
The builder had filled in the pond and constructed houses without disclosing this crucial information to buyers
In a desperate attempt to salvage something from this disaster, Sturgon has resorted to selling literally everything
'I'm going to miss it,' Sturgon said. 'I look out here. I look at our neighbors. That's the hard part.'
With housing prices skyrocketing, they've made the decision to relocate to Georgia to be closer to family.
The affected residents initially wanted to fight back, but legal advice unanimously suggested they would lose any battle to keep their homes.
'When you sell a house, you clean it really good for the next person, and I'm purposely destroying the house. It's pretty different.'
'I hope nobody has to go through this because it's not a comfortable feeling at all,' Sturgon said.
