Homes and yards in Fort Washington, Maryland, are sinking and shifting due to a failed retaining wall, residents say.
The retaining wall built to shore up the homes on a hill on Hallwood Place is rapidly shifting and the rainy summer made it worse.
“It's really happening right in front of our eyes that the wall is moving,” homeowner Sandra McClelland said.
Tracee provided the County's statement on this situation:
“While the County is not liable in this matter regarding the failing retaining wall and the affected homes, we learned a year ago that there were issues with the integrity of that retaining wall. As a result, we have worked for the last year to require the responsible parties to stabilize the wall, including issuing building violation notices in December 2019 and January 2020, to require corrective action. The District Court scheduled a hearing on the violations to take place next Wednesday. The County will be asking the court to issue an order to require the responsible parties to take immediate corrective action to stabilize the retaining wall.
“This matter has become more urgent due to the historic rainfall we have received in recent weeks and the significant shift in the wall. As we await the hearing date, we will use all emergency authority at the County’s disposal to protect the life and safety of our residents. We have been closely monitoring the retaining wall daily and look forward to an immediate resolution to ensure the stability of this retaining wall. Over the coming days and weeks, the County will consider a number of necessary actions, to include creation of an access road and other preliminary work.”