PASCO COUNTY — Fred Smith said he had to pay $4,500 after construction workers damaged his fence.
“They damaged something on just about everybody’s property,” he said.
His fence damage also left an opening for his dog, Buckley, to get loose. The reason, Smith said, is because the Crela Estates development going on next to his house in Shady Hills. It's affecting everyone on his street.
“The ongoing construction has damaged some property at a nearby elementary school and they don’t want to take any responsibility for it,” Smith said.
No one here seems more affected than Daphne Sais.
“Physically and emotionally, I’ve been put on depression medication and high blood pressure medication since this started,” Sais said.
The entrance to the construction site goes right by her house. She said she’s lost trees and is dealing with work going on at night.
“They have money and will be doing what they want,” Sais said.
ABC Action News' Eric Waxler talked to someone with Mas Development, the construction company working the area, and sent him a list concerns people had. Waxler is waiting to hear back.
In the meantime, people like Smith and Sais said the overall development in Shady Hills is too much. On top of that, more development is planned behind Crews Lake Middle School.
“I think they are building way too fast," Smith said. "They are not putting in the proper infrastructure to make sure the roads in the county can handle the amount of people that they are trying to put in here."
While many children have plenty of presents under the Christmas tree, that's not always the case for foster children. ABC Action News reporter Keely McCormick spoke to a 16-year-old who spent most of her life in and out of foster care about life in the system around Christmas.
