Dozens Back At Home 2 Years After Landslide Forced Them Out

FORT WASHINGTON, Md. (WJZ) -- It's been a long two-year wait for several homeowners living in Prince George's County. A massive landslide forced them from their homes while repairs were made. It happened in Fort Washington.

As WJZ's George Solis explains, it's not a happy ending for all the homeowners.

Residents tell WJZ while many got their homes back, the fix didn't work out for some of their neighbors.

A mess of dirt, rock and trees -- the aftermath of a landslide two years ago in a Fort Washington neighborhood.

"I've been through a lot of crisis in my life, and this ranks up there," said Rushern Baker.

Damage and a shut down road aside, more than two dozen homeowners in the Piscataway Hills community feared a bigger problem following the hill collapse.

"We still lose our our house no matter, so, you know, for us personally, that possibility is kind of becoming more of a reality," one woman said.

Months after the disaster caused by heavy rains, homeowners were not only battling to keep their homes, but to reach them as well as work began to repair the damage.

Some also defied county leaders, who deemed some homes unsafe, leaving several homeowners homeless.

"Your other alternative is to pay for a mortgage, taxes, insurance and rent somewhere else," one woman said.

The legal back-and-forth pointing blame at the mess was settled this week.

At the same time, homeowners and county leaders celebrated reopening the damaged road.

"There was a time when we weren't sure that we were going to be able to keep our homes," one woman said.

"Most of the residents are back in their homes, and god willing, won't have to go through this again because we took the time and actually fixed the problem," officials said.

Some neighbors tell WJZ it's too little too late, as six homeowners had to lose their homes for the fix and others just never came back.

While it appears that there's still some risk to the community, neighbors in the area feel the work that was done will keep them safe and secure.

"I feel better now, very good. What I can say, you know? No complaining now," said Jose Zacarias, Piscataway Hills.

Details of how much homeowners got back as part of the deal are being kept secret.

The cost of the repairs is roughly $11 million.