LAND O' LAKES, Fla. -- Dozens of residents say poor drainage at Cypress Preserve Villas in Land O' Lakes is leaving the yards of their brand new homes saturated in water. They want the developer, Ryan Homes, Inc., to fix it.
Deborah Mickey and her husband saved for nearly their entire lives to be able to retire in Florida. They bought a brand new home at Cypress Preserve Villas thinking they would have fewer problems. But Mickey says their tropical dream has become a swampy nightmare.
"It’s just very, very disheartening to think that you’ve put so much of your hard-earned money into something and they just are pushing all of our concerns and problems aside," said Mickey.
"/> And they’re not alone. Yard after yard in Phase One of the newly-built Cypress Preserve Villas in Land O' Lakes look like a small land of lakes.
"It’s a very big mess," said Mickey.
Ronald Aubin bought his new home to retire after working for 40 years as a pastor.
But his backyard is covered in water. He’s got tadpoles swimming on his lawn and sandbags against his home.
"I bought this property specifically so I could let the dogs out and have a little yard and obviously, I can’t do that," said Aubin.
Aubin says the county signed off on the development and he believes they should help fix the poor drainage.
Homeowner Kathy DeSanto says this isn’t the normal wetness the rainy season brings.
"It’s sopping wet, and it’s not just a down pour and we see puddles, and then it dries up when the sun comes out. This is soaking wet all the time," said DeSanto.
DeSanto says the developers, Ryan Homes, Inc., installed small drainage systems after many complaints.
But they say the drains just sit, completely filled with water. Residents say something more needs to be done.
"Who is going to be responsible for these constant conditions, where we can’t let our children or our dogs out into the back yard?" said Frank DeSanto, Kathy's husband.
ABC Action News reached out to Ryan Homes, Inc. and we have yet to hear back.
Pasco County officials tell ABC Action News they will review the issue.
But residents say they just want a permanent fix before it gets worse.
