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Three months later, Hudson still has that sinking feeling

Neighbors reached out to a state geologist to help figure out what can be done about the holes.

HUDSON, Fla — The news isn’t good for people living in Pasco County who have been waiting months now to find what can be done about dozens of depressions and holes found in their Hudson neighborhood. 

The county reached out to a state geologist to find an answer. 

But, the report is in --and as 10News reporter Eric Glasser found out-- and it has some residents questioning whether they should stay in their homes.

“Who’s going to be responsible?” Marie Meszaros asked. It’s been three months now since holes started forming in Meszaros’s neighborhood. Three months for the ground to keep shifting.

Now, her patience, like the limestone layer beneath several of the homes nearby, is wearing thin.

“I’m putting my house on the market,” Meszaros said. “Because I don’t want to deal with this. I don’t know what’s gonna happen.”

RELATED: Sinkhole dilemma: Could Pasco County block people from repairing their own homes?

RELATED: 'We’re all sitting on a keg of dynamite': Neighbors frustrated by Pasco holes

Engineers said there is also no indication the caverns below the neighborhood have stopped eroding.

“And we have seen the growth, steadily,” Pasco Emergency Operation Manager Andrew Fossa said. “Especially on the big crescent moon looking one. That one has continued to grow.”

Three weeks ago, Pasco County asked the homeowners association to hold off on any repairs.

Two engineering reports suggested any of the traditional methods of fixing sinkholes, like grout, pins or pilings might destabilize the ground and do more harm than good. 

The county said it was sending the pair of engineering reports off to a state geologist to see if they had any insight or ideas.

Three weeks later, the response finally just came back: the conclusion was the same.

“Anything you do is going to cause some sort of damage or harm to the aquifer, to the cave system, to the surrounding area, and possibly the homes,” said Fossa.

The county is still asking residents to be patient but the road through their neighborhood, Willowbrook Court, is likely to remain closed indefinitely.

People there are left with a sinking feeling that a solution if there is one, won’t come soon enough.  

Just as long as we know that they’re still looking into it and they just want to keep everybody safe, I think that’s just everybody’s main concern,” Bobby Kruz said.

But, Meszaros isn’t so confident.

“They say your houses are safe, but the road is not? You know? I’ve been reading a lot about it,” she said. “And, I’m very upset and very nervous.”

 Pasco County said it still has not received any reports of any structural damage to homes in the Lakeside Woodlands community.

If they do, they say engineering permits for repairs would be handled on a case by case basis.

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