The recent storm system that soaked North Texas could not push out of the region quickly enough for some Grand Prairie residents in danger of losing their property.
A record amount of rain this year and a failing retaining wall combined to allow an entire hillside to subside and fall off of four properties in Grand Prairie that face Mountain Creek Lake.
"When we get more weather like we have recently, the concern is more is gonna fall in," said Richard Berumen, whose backyard has almost entirely fallen down a steep embankment toward the lake shore.
Berumen and three of his neighbors live in houses built about five years ago along Bayfront Drive — a picturesque street that fronts the lake.
Last spring, after a heavy bout of rain, the retaining wall designed to hold up the hill that makes up Berumen’s backyard began to fail. One morning, Berumen said the yard simply fell off, leaving behind a steep cliff and a cracked concrete sidewalk that used to lead to set of stairs that went down to the water’s edge.
"We’re hoping that the patio doesn’t go," he said. "Half the yard is gone."
Berumen told NBCDFW that the developer who built his subdivision came in and bulldozed what was left of the retaining wall in recent months, but has yet to replace it. He said he fears it will take the threat of legal action to speed up the process.
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Until the retaining wall is replaced, Berumen said he and his family fear the problem will continue to grow and threaten his foundation.
The developer did not respond to an NBCDFW request for information regarding a possible timeline for replacing the retaining wall.
