Dozens of Fort Washington residents didn’t get any answers on when they’ll be able to move back to their homes following a slope failure earlier this month. News4’s Prince George’s County Bureau Chief Tracee Wilkins reports.
Dozens of residents were evacuated from their Prince George's County homes weeks ago following a slope failure, and a newly-released report isn't shedding light on when they will be able to return to their homes.
A rainstorm shifted the foundation of an entire Ft. Washington neighborhood May 4, forcing 28 homeowners to evacuate due to safety concerns, as well as a lack of electricity or water. Six homes were classified as uninhabitable.
A report put together by KCI Technologies and released to the public Wednesday evening didn't shed any light on when residents would be able to return to their homes.
"We're talking in terms of months and not days or weeks at this point," Darrell Mobley with the Department of Public Works told the residents Thursday evening.
The report offered three options for stabilizing the slope, but didn't mention cost or who would be responsible.
"It's too early to speculate on when it will be done," Kwabena Ofori-Awuah with KCI explained.
Dozens of families have been living with relatives and friends or staying at hotels, while still paying mortgages and taxes on homes they can't occupy.
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"We don't want the county to wane off and leave people hanging with 30-year mortgages," Ft. Washington resident Gwynn Roberson said.
Per report: The #FortWashington slope failure's leading cause was the presence of Marlboro Clay and intense rainfall. @nbcwashington — Tracee Wilkins (@TraceeWilkins) May 22, 2014
Per Report: Marlboro Clay is susceptible to slope failures and caused multiple landslides in other parts of Prince George's. @nbcwashington — Tracee Wilkins (@TraceeWilkins) May 22, 2014
Report has options for stabilizing the slope but doesn't address residents returning home. KCI Technologies did the report.@nbcwashington — Tracee Wilkins (@TraceeWilkins) May 22, 2014
