Homeowners blame builder for construction flaws, mold

For a long time, a group of homeowners say their homes have had huge problems, but they just couldn't get any answers.

That changed Wednesday night when they heard from Florida Sen. Mike Bennett, who took part in a question-and-answer session, and he heard quite an earful.

The residents of the Willowbrook Community are upset, so they started sending letters to many officials.

"It's starting to look like an engineering problem."

"They were subject to inspection when they were built and this is what we have."

"When I first moved in, I had a lot of issues."

Those were just a few of the comments to Bennett.

The folks blame the builder, KB Home, for what they call sub-standard construction. Homeowners claim they have several structural issues and water intrusion, which is causing mold.

Building inspectors have even left yellow ‘unsafe' signs on a number of units. Caitlin Trask said her walls have 100 percent moisture readings.

"I have asthma and one of my allergies it to mold," she said. "Most nights I have to sleep on the second floor on our couch."

She said she's dealt with that for two years.

"It's very disheartening to feel that you thought you were making a great investment for your future," she said.

"Frustration is an understatement," said homeowner Dan Koehler. "You feel like nothing's being done. No one is helping."

They want KB Home to buy back their houses, but Bennett said that's unlikely. But he did encourage them to stay on top of the issue and continue banding together to demand results.

"I'm surprised about the lack of responsible action," Bennett said. "When you've got a national builder, they normally don't like seeing their name on TV or in the press because of construction problems."

In a statement to FOX 13, KB says they're continuing to work closely with the association and building department to reach a resolution. They said they will begin the repair process within the next few days.

The residents say talk is cheap. They said they want action now.

"I feel like it's a cardboard box that's rotting," Koehler said.  

Bennett said he's been told KB workers will be out as soon as Thursday to take a look around, but a lot of folks are still skeptical because many of them said they've seen it all before.