Cloverdale homeowners sue

Dozens of homeowners in Del Webb's Clover Springs retirement community in Cloverdale are suing the developer, saying their homes have leaks, cracks, mold and other problems caused by faulty construction.

The defects will cost millions to repair, according to the lawsuit filed last month (July) in Sonoma County Superior Court.

"It's like they just threw these places together," said Laureen Emmons, who has lived in Clover Springs with her husband Bob since 2000. "The floor keeps cracking."

Clover Springs, which opened in 1998, is Cloverdale's largest residential subdivision, with 362 single-family homes and about 650 residents. It's limited to residents 55 and older.

Del Webb, based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., is the nation's leading builder of "active adult" communities, with 80 communities in 20 states.

The company hasn't seen the lawsuit and can't comment on its allegations, said Caryn Klebba, spokeswoman for Del Webb.

The suit was filed on behalf of 46 residents who live in 29 homes in the subdivision. The homes were built on poorly-compacted soil, resulting in shifting and cracks, according to the lawsuit.

There are problems with foundations, plumbing, drainage, electrical systems, windows, doors, floors, fireplaces, cabinets, showers, baths and other housing components, the suit alleges.

All of the homes have at least one problem, said Fred Adelman, a Santa Monica attorney representing the homeowners. "Every house is a little different," he said.

Del Webb developed the 175-acre subdivision during the housing boom of the late 1990s, Adelman said.

"It was a hot market and they wanted to take advantage of it," he said. "They cut the construction time and quality was compromised."

It will cost at least $100,000 per home to fix the defects, he said.

The lawsuit doesn't name the project's building subcontractors, engineers and material suppliers, but they'll be added as defendants in the future, Adelman said.

A hearing in the case is set for Nov. 6. The lawsuit seeks at least $2.9 million for repairs and other unspecified damages.

While construction defect lawsuits are common in Sonoma County, it's unusual to have so many plaintiffs from a single subdivision.

Clover Springs resident John Ethier said he's already spent $12,000 to repair the drainage system on his property. The yard was flooded when he moved in 2000, he said.

Ethier, a retired engineer, said he complained to state engineering regulators but so far they've taken no action.

Willo(cq) Rose, a real estate agent who lives in Clover Springs, said her house has problems with mold and one of the windows is cracking. "If I were to sell the house I'd have to replace the linoleum," she said.

The two-bedroom homes, which range in size from 1,100 to 2,300 square feet, currently are offered for resale from the mid-$300,000s to more than $600,000.

In 2001, Del Webb Corp. was acquired by Pulte Homes Inc., the nation's third-largest homebuilder, for $800 million in stock. Pulte has $14.3 billion in annual sales.

You can reach Staff Writer Steve Hart at 521-5205 or steve.hart@pressdemocrat.com.

Dozens of homeowners in Del Webb's Clover Springs retirement community in Cloverdale are suing the developer, saying their homes have leaks, cracks, mold and other problems caused by faulty construction.

The defects will cost millions to repair, according to the lawsuit filed last month in Sonoma County Superior Court.

"It's like they just threw these places together," said Laureen Emmons, who has lived in Clover Springs with her husband, Bob, since 2000. "The floor keeps cracking."

Clover Springs, which opened in 1998, is Cloverdale's largest residential subdivision, with 362 single-family homes and about 650 residents. It's limited to residents 55 and older.

Del Webb, based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., is the nation's leading builder of "active adult" communities, with 80 communities in 20 states.

The company hasn't seen the lawsuit and can't comment on its allegations, said Caryn Klebba, spokeswoman for Del Webb.

The suit was filed on behalf of 46 residents who live in 29 homes in the subdivision. The homes were built on poorly compacted soil, resulting in shifting and cracks, according to the lawsuit.

There are problems with foundations, plumbing, drainage, electrical systems, windows, doors, floors, fireplaces, cabinets, showers, baths and other housing components, the suit alleges.

All of the homes have at least one problem, said Fred Adelman, a Santa Monica attorney representing the homeowners. "Every house is a little different," he said.

Del Webb developed the 175-acre subdivision during the housing boom of the late 1990s, Adelman said.

"It was a hot market and they wanted to take advantage of it," he said. "They cut the construction time and quality was compromised."

It will cost at least $100,000 per home to fix the defects, he said.

The lawsuit doesn't name the project's building subcontractors, engineers and material suppliers, but they'll be added as defendants in the future, Adelman said.

A hearing in the case is set for Nov. 6. The lawsuit seeks at least $2.9 million for repairs and other unspecified damages.

While construction defect lawsuits are common in Sonoma County, it's unusual to have so many plaintiffs from a single subdivision.

Clover Springs resident John Ethier said he's already spent $12,000 to repair the drainage system on his property. The yard was flooded when he moved in 2000, he said.

Ethier, a retired engineer, said he complained to state engineering regulators but so far they've taken no action.

Willo Rose, a real estate agent who lives in Clover Springs, said her house has problems with mold and one of the windows is cracking. "If I were to sell the house I'd have to replace the linoleum," she said.

The two-bedroom homes, which range in size from 1,100 to 2,300 square feet, currently are offered for resale from the mid-$300,000s to more than $600,000.

In 2001, Del Webb Corp. was acquired by Pulte Homes Inc., the nation's third-largest homebuilder, for $800 million in stock. Pulte has $14.3 billion in annual sales.

You can reach Staff Writer Steve Hart at 521-5205 or steve.hart@pressdemocrat.com.