FOR
FOR KEEPING THEM SAFE WAS NOT DOING HIS JOB.
>> RESEARCH BEFORE YOU ENTER AN
AGREEMENT.
AGREEMENT. THE SIGN ON THE HOUSE4@4@ GREET
US BEFORE WE EVEN MET MOLLY.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> BUT IT STILL DID NOT PREPARE
US FOR WHAT WE FOUND INSIDE.
>> THIS IS THE WINDOW THAT 4@
FALLS WHEN THE WIND BLOWS.
LITERALLY.
LITERALLY. >> THIS IS WHAT'S CALLED, THE
WALL, HAS SHEARED AWAY FROM MY
WALL.
WALL.
WALL. THE
WALL. THE FRAME OF 4@THE DOOR IS
SITTING ON THE DOOR.
YOU CAN'T OPEN THE STORE.
>> BY ALL ACCOUNTS HER HOME WAS
FALLING 4@APART.
FALLING 4@APART. SHE SAYS THE HOUSE RENOVATING
ATTACHED TO HERS, COMPROMISE
THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF HER
HOME.
HOME.
HOME. ACCORDING TO THEM, THE LAWSUIT4
CONSTRUCTION CREWS HIRED BY THEM
DOUG FAR BELOW THE FOUNDATI4@ON
WITHOUT THE PROPER SUPPORTS.
IT HAS BEEN TWO YEARS, 4@THE
DAMAGES ONLY GETTING WORSE.
>> LOOKS LIKE YOUR HOME IS
HOLDING ON BY ITS FRAME.
>> IT 4@IS.4@4@
>> ARE WE SAFE TO BE INSIDE?
>> IT'S NOT JUST 4@HER HOME.
HER NEIGHBORS ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE CONSTRUCTION LEAD US
THROUGH THEIR ABANDONED HOME,
NOW COVERED WITH MOLD AND 4@
OVERRUN BY RATS AND RECORDS.
FIREFIGHTERS EVACUATED THE
FAMILY TWO YEARS AGO.
>> THERE LAWSUIT SAYS
CONTRACTORS WORKING FOR THEM
ALSO DUG UNDER THE FOUNDATION
OF THEIR HOME.
IT STARTED WITH A CRACK IN THE
BATHROOM WALL AND WITHIN HOURS
THE GRANDSON'S BEDROOM WALL
>> YOU 4@CAN SEE THE LIGHT.
>> SEPARATED FROM THE ENTIRE
HOUSE. 4@
HOUSE. 4@
HOUSE. 4@ >> YOU SEE THAT SEPARATION.
>> OH MY GOSH.
>> I DON'T EVEN 4@BELIEVE THIS.
>> THE DC DEPARTMENT OF
CONSUMER AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS
IS RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING
BUILDING SAFE AND UP TO CODE.
WE'VE BEEN INVESTIGATING FOR
MORE THAN TWO YEARS, WE HAVE
EXPOSED WIDESP4@READ FAILURE,
DEVELOPERS CUTTING CORNERS,
SHODDY INSPECTIONS BY THE CRA,
AND CODE VIOLATIONS TO GO
UNCHECKED.
UNCHECKED. AFTER A RECORDING, FOR 4@TOP
OFFICIALS LEFT AND A NEW
DIRECTOR WAS HIRED TO TURN THE
TROUBLED AGENCY AROUND.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HAS PROPOSED
LEGISLATION TO PROTECT
HOMEOWNERS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW
SHE SAYS, THEY HAVE NO
FINANCIAL SAFETY NET.
>> 4@WE ACTUALLY, PUT MORE
RESPONSIBILITY ON THE DEVELOPER
>> 4@WE ACTUALLY, PUT MORE RESPONSIBILITY ON THE DEVELOPER@
OF 4@THE HOME4@4@ TO PROTECT TH
PROPERTIES ON EITHER SIDE.
IT ALSO ALLOWS AN IMPACTED
NEIGHBOR, PROPERTY OWNER, TO
FILE A CLAIM WITH THE
DEVELOPERS INSURANCE.
DEVELOPERS INSURANCE. >> THAT'S WHAT PRESTON WAS
TRYING TO DO, BUT THE LAWYER
SAID IS NOT ENTIRELY HIS
CLIENTS FALL, ATTORNEY TELLS US
PREMIER CONSTRUCTION TO THE
WORK, AND THEIR 4@INSURANCE
LAPSED.
LAPSED.
LAPSED. >>4@ WE STOPPED BY THE HOME
LISTED ON COURT DOCUMENTS FOR
THE CONTRACTOR, ABEL ROMERO,
AND SPECIAL WOMAN AT THE DOOR
SAID HE WAS NOT IN, BUT AFTER
IDENTIFIED MYSELF SHE SAID, HE
NO LONGER LIVED THERE.
ACCORDING TO THE LAWSUIT,
PREMIER CONSTRUCTION ADMITS
THERE WAS A PROBLEM BUT DENIED
HE WAS THEIR FAULT. 4@
SO THE DEVELOPER IS SUING THE
CONTRACTOR, LEAVING PRESTON ON
THE FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS AND
LESS THE JUDGE RULES IN FAVOR.
>> THE DAMAGES DONE.
AND ITS CONTINUED.
>> DC ARRAY DECLINED OUR
REQUEST FOR AN INTERVIEW BUT IN
A STATEMENT CLAIMED THE
DEVELOPERS LAC FOR DAMAGE
THING, THE OWNERS OF THE
PROPERTY NOT THE CONTRACTOR
VIOLATED DISTRICT CONSTRUCTION
CODES.
CODES.
CODES. THE AGENCY ISSUES WORKERS AND
$18,000 IN FINES.
IN A STATEMENT, DC ARRAY SAYS
WE SHARE THE NEIGHBORS
JUSTIFIABLE FRUSTRATIONS ABOUT
THE DAMAGE TO THEIR PROPERTY.
BUT HERE'S THE THING, ACCORDING
TO THE ARCHITECTS PLAN, DCRA
APPROVED THE WORK AFTER THE
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER SIGNED OFF
AND THEM.
AND THEM.
AND THEM. THAT HAPPENED BEFORE ANY
DIGGING OCCURRED.
DIGGING OCCURRED. HOWEVER, WE OBTAINED THIS LETTER
IN WHICH THE ENGINEER TELLS
GHAISER HIS DCRA IS FRAUDULENT
AND USED WITHOUT HIS KNOWLEDGE.
WE ASKED DCRA ABOUT THE FAKE
SEAL, THE AGENCY ADMITS IT TOOK
TWO YEAR4@S TO REALIZE THOSE
PAPERS WERE PHONIES.4@
>>4@ SHE KNOWS, SHE HAS A LEGAL
BATTLE ON HER HANDS.
FOR EVERY CRACK IN THE WALL,
EVERY SHIFT IN HER FOUNDATION,
IS NOT 4@ENOUGH TO BREAK OR
RESOLVE.
RESOLVE.
RESOLVE. >> I CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE YOU
HAVE A LOT OF PRAYER 4@CARDS.4@
OF THE SAINTS AND CROSSES.
WHEN YOU WALK UP THE STAIRS,
>> THE DEVELOPER SOLD THE
PR4@OPERTY ON 13th STREET THIS
PAST JUNE FOR $680,000.4@
IS ABOUT $150,000 MORE THAN HIS
PURC4@HASE PRICE.
PURC4@HASE PRICE. D TERRACES 4@IS ARRANGE WEEKLY
MONITORING AND 4@STATUS
INSPECTIONS ON THE PROJECTS
WITH THE NEW OWNER, 4@THEY UP I
ORDER TO REPAIR AND STABILIZE