Calls for lawmaker help as more Massachusetts homeowners face crumbling foundations
Another home in Worcester County had to be lifted off its foundation on Friday due to crumbling concrete. Homeowners say it's a symbol of a problem Massachusetts lawmakers have failed to deal with.
The Rutland home owned by Jeff and Kim Haynes was hoisted by work crews six feet into the air to make way for a new foundation. The concrete walls of their current basement are contaminated with pyrrhotite, a naturally occurring mineral found in parts of New England.
If pyrrhotite makes its way into the aggregate used to make concrete, it can cause that concrete to fail prematurely.
The state believes thousands of homes — perhaps as many as 7,500 — across central Massachusetts are at risk.
Jeff Haynes says his concrete deteriorated rapidly.
"It was about a year and a half ago, that I noticed some cracking," said Jeff Haynes. "I obviously wasn't thinking it was going to be this."
Haynes says once the drywall in their finished basement was removed to further inspect the damage, he realized the enormity of the problem.
"The worst of it was actually behind where the sheetrock was. When that came down, I thought it was bad. Then I saw what it looked like behind the sheetrock, and it looked even worse," Haynes said. "All told, we're looking at approximately in excess of $250,000."
He added that he believes anyone buying a home in central Massachusetts right now should be cautious.
"If you are thinking of buying in this area, you absolutely have to have the seller test the concrete first," Haynes said.
Homeowners insurance won't cover a new foundation, and it's usually impossible to get a bank loan for the work because the value of the house plummets.
"All of the sudden, one day, you start to notice cracks in your basement, and you come to find out that your house is worthless," said state Sen. Peter Durant, who was on hand to observe the work. "That's devastating for anybody to have to face."
Durant and state Sen. Ryan Fattman, who also visited the Haynes' to see the process firsthand, believe Massachusetts must come to the financial rescue of impacted homeowners.
"The impact on the community and the individual family is incredible," Fattman said. "So Massachusetts needs to do something."
Starting this summer, Massachusetts will mandate that quarries test their product for the presence of pyrrhotite. Homeowners say that's a good first step to stop the problem from spreading, but it's not enough.
Some other states, including Connecticut, have set up a trust fund to help homeowners pay for repairs. In Connecticut, impacted homeowners can get up to $190,000 toward foundation replacement. The money comes from a $12 per year surcharge on every homeowners insurance policy in the state.
Fattman and Durant believe Connecticut's fund is a good model for Massachusetts.
"To me, it's a small price to pay for insurance, and again, I think we're going to see a lot of other homes affected by this," Durant said.
"Having the governor on board publicly would be a great victory," Fattman said.
"It's time for legislators and the governor to act on this. They've been sitting on a bill for six years," Haynes, the homeowner, said. "There's a very real chance there's far more people affected by this than even realize today."
Friday, a spokesperson for Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey told NewsCenter 5 the governor supports efforts to help homeowners.
“Gov. Healey recognizes how burdensome the cost of fixing a crumbling foundation is for homeowners and supports efforts to address this problem,” said Healey spokeswoman Karissa Hand. “She will review any legislation that reaches her desk.”