One by one, homes in Calif. subdivision sinking

Associated Press ^ | May 11, 2013 12:52 PM EDT | Tracie Cone

[Olog-hai]

Scott and Robin Spivey had a sinking feeling that something was wrong with their home when cracks began snaking across their walls in March. The cracks soon turned into gaping fractures, and within two weeks their 600-square-foot garage broke from the house and the entire property—manicured lawn and all—dropped 10 feet below the street.

It wasn’t long before the houses on both sides collapsed as the ground gave way in the Spivey’s neighborhood in Lake County, about 100 miles north of San Francisco. …

Unlike sinkholes of Florida that can gobble homes in an instant, this collapse in hilly volcanic country can move many feet on one day and just a fraction of an inch the next. Officials believe water that has bubbled to the surface is playing a role in the destruction. But nobody can explain why suddenly there is plentiful water atop the hill in a county with groundwater shortages. …

[EDINVA]

“CA just passed a law letting boys use the girls’ locker rooms.”

Don’t be so judgmental. It’s only boys who self-identify as girls. Or girls who self-identify as boys who can use boys’ locker rooms. It’s only fair.

[Uncle Chip]

I’m sure there are and I’m sure you did — but the article explains why basements are few and far between in California. Most homes out there are slab homes.

[catnipman]

Cracks snaking across the walls? I wonder what tipped them off something was wrong?

[BobL]

“One by one, homes in Calif. subdivision sinking”

I thought this was about property values.

[hinckley buzzard]

Some years ago in order to secure necessary permits, a "developer" reserved a piece of land in Ranchos Palos Verdes, pricey suburb west of LA, 0for a high school. It was on a bluff overlooking the Pacific, a magnificent view. Then it was found to be so unstable that building a school on it could have led to an avalanche into the sands below. It now is the world's most scenic soccer field. Meanwhile, below, million dollar homes are cracking, rocking and slowly rolling.

[Olog-hai]

Wow. Remember the story about the man who built his house on a rock versus the man who built his house on the sand? Seems like there are lots of the latter type in CA.