A massive sinkhole in a La Habra apartment complex will soon be gone, local community officials said Thursday, Aug. 15, as they lifted the first layers of earth into the wide trench, signaling the start of construction to repair the five-year-old collapse.
A storm sewer that runs beneath a lawn between two rows of homes in the Coyote Village housing complex collapsed after heavy rains in early 2019, exposing a massive hole just feet from residents’ doors. Efforts to figure out who should pay to fix the problem and legal wrangling delayed reconstruction of the storm sewer, and a second sinkhole formed in 2023.
1 from 8
Expand
But now these questions have been answered, and on Friday workers will begin repairing the storm drain, which had a hole 30 meters long and 6 meters wide.
“It’s a huge relief to know it’s finally on its way,” said Rose Lujan, whose home sits directly in front of the storm channel.
State Senator Josh Newman said the danger was too great to ignore and secured $8.5 million in state funds in 2022 to pay for the repairs. Newman said while responsibility was disputed for a time, “there was no question it was going to be expensive.”
To pay for the repairs, Newman said, the homeowners association would have had to assess its 71 units.
“Most, if not all, residents here cannot afford it,” Newman said. “Most, if not all, residents here would have had to sell their properties.”
The storm drain is part of Orange County’s flood control system. When the hole formed, it knocked down trees and pavers and damaged a home.
Lujan said there had been doubts over the years about whether the sinkholes would ever be repaired, but when she saw workers clearing brush nearby Thursday morning, she knew it was real.
“The funding was a miracle,” Lujan said. “I don’t know what we would have done.”
Mayor Daren Nigsarian said La Habra was known in the county as a sleepy community, but the sinkhole gradually became linked to the town’s identity.
“Not necessarily ideal to be infamous or famous for,” Nigsarian said.
Councilman James Gomez said the city is so happy that the day has finally come when work can begin to repair the sinkhole. Gomez said there have been so many times that there have been fears that it would not get this far.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are going to fill this hole!” Gomez announced joyfully as he and others used golden shovels to pour earth into the hole during a ceremony on Thursday.
Construction workers will begin repairs Friday. Dave Sorem, the owner of the construction company doing the work, said the plan is to complete the canal reconstruction by early next year.
Precast concrete culverts will be installed in the canal and overgrown with greenery. The new canal will be so stable that “you can drive semi-trailers up and down it with no problem,” Sorem said.
No matter how disruptive construction noise can be, Lujan said the crew’s work is welcome.
“If they can work around the clock,” Lujan said, “I wouldn’t mind.”
Originally published:
