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A construction project intended to expand a local sewer system turned into a nightmare for residents of the Woodland Hills Condominiums in Southgate, Kentucky. After excavation began near the property, residents reported severe foundation cracks, uneven floors, shifting doors, and separating balconies. The damage escalated into a landslide, forcing dozens of residents to leave their homes while continuing to face mortgages, HOA fees, and the cost of finding somewhere else to live.
Mikki Paradis and Jessica Abreu break down the timeline, the lawsuits involving the sanitation district, Bray Construction, and other parties, and the financial consequences for homeowners who lost access to their properties. They also discuss the Kentucky Supreme Court's February 2026 ruling that overturned a temporary financial assistance order for eight homeowners, while the larger question of responsibility remains unresolved. This episode explores construction accountability, HOA costs, housing insecurity, and the devastating consequences when homeowners are left paying for damage they did not cause.
Have a construction or renovation story to share? Visit ChicksInConstruction.com to tell your story, and follow @ChicksInConstructionPodcast on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or @ChicksInConstruction on TikTok.
00:00 Welcome to Chicks in Construction
00:00 Welcome to Chicks in Construction
03:40 Why the hosts are researching this case carefully
04:40 The Southgate condo landslide story
08:00 Background on the Woodland Hills Condominiums
09:30 The sewer expansion project and construction contract
11:00 Foundation damage and warning signs inside the condos
14:30 The landslide and evacuation of residents
16:00 Homeowners displaced while still paying their bills
18:30 Lawsuits, the HOA, and the cost of a retaining wall
22:00 How unpaid HOA fees can put homeownership at risk
23:30 Questions about slope stability and construction oversight
26:00 The financial and personal toll on displaced residents
30:00 Relocation assistance offered to homeowners
31:30 Temporary financial relief and the court challenges
33:00 The Kentucky Supreme Court ruling
34:30 What remains unresolved in the case
36:00 HOA responsibilities and unexpected property costs
38:30 Construction industry criticism and the hosts' social media comments
42:00 Where to follow the show and submit your story
Creators and Guests
Host
Jessica Abreu
As a social media expert, Jessica has a knack for identifying what makes each business unique and translating that into powerful, engaging content that resonates with clients and customers. From crafting tailored strategies and managing accounts to recording on-site content and boosting engagement, Jessica and her team handle it all so their clients can focus on what they do best.
Host
Mikki Paradis
President & CEO at PDI Drywall Inc. Mikki founded her first construction company, PDI Drywall Inc, in 2005 while she was still a student at NC State. After growing PDI into a multimillion dollar company, she has become an accomplished entrepreneur, speaker, and advocate for innovation in business and leadership. With a passion for empowering others, she has built a reputation as a forward-thinking professional dedicated to driving growth and fostering meaningful connections. Known for her dynamic energy and ability to inspire, Mikki is deeply committed to creating positive change in her industry and beyond. Whether through her entrepreneurial ventures or speaking engagements, she consistently challenges the status quo and encourages others to reach their full potential.
What is Chicks in Construction?
You plan your renovation with excitement, trust your contractor, and hope for the best...until things start going sideways. That’s when most homeowners realize they didn’t know what they didn’t know.
From permits that were never pulled to “contractors” who ghost after demo day, the construction world can feel like a maze of hidden costs and shady shortcuts. Too many homeowners end up confused, overwhelmed, and out of a lot of money.
The Chicks in Construction Podcast is here to change that. Hosted by Mikki Paradis, a licensed general contractor with 20+ years of experience, and Jess Abreu, a homeowner turned construction content creator, this show breaks down real renovation horror stories and teaches you how to protect your time, money, and home.
After building a multimillion-dollar drywall business and helping countless homeowners recover from construction nightmares, Mikki is on a mission to make sure you go into your next project informed, not blindsided. And Jess brings the perspective of someone who’s been in your shoes and now knows exactly what questions to ask.
Submit Your Construction Horror Story: https://chicksinconstruction.com/
67 - Chicks In Construction
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Mikki Paradis: [00:00:00] Well, hello, and welcome back to another episode of Chicks in Construction.
I'm your host Mickey Paradise, and my amazing co-host...
Jessica Abreu: I am Jessica Abreu.
Mikki Paradis: She's back. She was traveling the world- Mm-hmm ... as she does. She's back with us. And listen, if you're not sure what you just clicked on, let me tell you. Let me tell you what you clicked on. We're chicks, as you can see. I have been working in construction for 22-plus years.
Jess is a homeowner- Mm-hmm ... for probably 22-plus years. We've got plus years of experience in surviving in the wild, and this podcast exists to help you, the homeowner, the potential homeowner, or the person who just loves some drama, to learn how to navigate the world of construction by hopefully not getting screwed over.
That's really just what we do here. People write in, they share stories with us about what happened to them for their home renovation or work [00:01:00] that they did on their home, and that kinda, it kinda went wrong. And if you have a story, you can go to chicksinconstruction.com and share it with us, 'cause listen, I'm here for it.
We've been actually getting really good stories lately.
Jessica Abreu: So many good stories.
Mikki Paradis: We have. I mean, you guys, I am so
Jessica Abreu: grateful. I mean, good stories in the fact that like- I mean
Mikki Paradis: terrible-
Jessica Abreu: Yeah.
Mikki Paradis: Yes.
Jessica Abreu: We're glad that you're sending them to us.
Mikki Paradis: Thank you for sending them so
Jessica Abreu: that- We're sad- Yes ... that you had to go through what you went through.
Mikki Paradis: I will tell you, the, the more that we get into this, it is like obviously I've been in construction forever and I've heard all kinds of stories, which honestly is why we started this podcast, because as a licensed general contractor, I thought that I could make a positive impact by just being someone with integrity.
But then I realized it wasn't for me. And it's not like the homeowner, right? Like, I think we, if you've watched more than one of these episodes, you know the problem isn't other people, it's me. But the important part is just to know that [00:02:00] I'm the problem. It is. And I am aware that-
Jessica Abreu: Knowing is half the battle
Mikki Paradis: I am the whole problem. So I decided being a contractor was not the way that I was gonna make an impact. But this podcast is. So we just, we share your stories, and then we break it down, and we share what is common but not appropriate.
Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm.
Mikki Paradis: And we try to help our viewers prepare themselves for renovations and know how to, like suss out red flags and know what to do w- if things go wrong.
And, you know, t- try to prevent it from ever happening, but if it does go wrong, then know what happens. And, and we have been asking for almost two years now for y'all to share your stories, and I am so grateful that so many of you have. And we've ... There's two stories that we're currently doing a deep dive on.
Um, because some of them, you know, it's just pretty cut and dry. It's like, "Hey, this is what happened. [00:03:00] The ho- the contractor did this." And there are sometimes very steep consequences.
Jessica Abreu: Yes.
Mikki Paradis: But most of the stories we share, until recently, have not been under active litigation. It's just been kind of like ... And they're not super dropping names and things like that.
Mm-hmm. So it's not, like Google-able. And so one thing that we've kind of realized is as some of these stories come through, we have to be a little bit more careful. Um, we have to do a little bit more research. We have to make sure that we're presenting as much of both sides of the story, especially if they are in active litigation, or if we're gonna name names, which Jess is never gonna name names.
Jessica Abreu: I don't name names. But
Mikki Paradis: I might. She
Jessica Abreu: does, 100%. And there are times where I'm like,
Mikki Paradis: hmm. Jess happens to be like, "Nope." She's like, "Jo, cut it. Cut that out." And I'm just like, "Oh yeah, go ahead.
So today's story was actually shared with us by a, a viewer. Um, and I'm, I... She was very clear that she wanted to be kept completely anonymous. I [00:04:00] mean, it was in all caps, it was underlined, it was bold, it was italics. She was not playing. No. She was like, "Nikki-
Jessica Abreu: At the same time, she shared- ... do not try to share this story
Mikki Paradis: with my name."
But at the same time, she shared her GoFundMe link, and I was like, "So which is it?" So I don't know.
Jessica Abreu: Questions.
Mikki Paradis: I know. And I was like, I don't know if she even wants me to, like, respond back to her, 'cause it was so like, "Leave my name out of it. Don't say where this is." Like, "I don't wanna have anything to do-"
Jessica Abreu: But here's where you can send me money.
Mikki Paradis: Right. Which, l- I don't know. I mean, I- It's
Jessica Abreu: fine
Mikki Paradis: I don't know
Jessica Abreu: People will figure it out. So- The internet is a wild place ...
Mikki Paradis: it is a wild place. So I did look into it because I, the, I, not hilariously, but interestingly, the person who shared the story with us, it was not necessarily affected by what happened. Um, they, they have been affected in the sense that it's a condo [00:05:00] building that was affected by a landslide.
Jessica Abreu: Ooh.
Mikki Paradis: And the building that she's in, her unit is in- Mm-hmm ... it was not affected by the landslide, and a lot of people were displaced, and it's actually a wild story. Um, but because of all the lawsuits that are happening due to the landslide, she can't access none of the equity in her condo. And I know- Mm.
from experience, 'cause my mother is this way. She's- You
Jessica Abreu: also can't sell your condo ...
Mikki Paradis: she can't get, she can't do anything with it. Mm-hmm. So she's in a position where she has paid off her condo, needs to access the equity to, like, survive. 'Cause my mother is in the same position. Mm-hmm. Like, she is retired.
She's been living off Social Security. It's not enough to get by, so she's been pulling money out of her home equity line just to survive. So I have a lot of compassion for this woman because I understand how that's in a lot of people's life plan, that that is part of their retirement strategy- Right ... is- Mm-hmm
okay, so every [00:06:00] year I'll pull out 50 grand to get me by- Mm-hmm ... hoping that their, you know, the unit continues to appreciate and things like that. So wh- she, when she went to go do that, she was denied by the bank, saying that- Mm-hmm ... the, like, the asset was no longer, like, viable. And I w- I can only imagine how, how that's horrible.
It's, it's like they Mm-hmm. She can't afford to live there, but she can't sell it. She can't get any of the money out of it. It's absolutely terrible, and I, that was laughing out of just ir- Not wanting to cry on television, if we're being honest. So that is what the story... So, so it is not her story, so we are not sharing her story- Mm-hmm
other than she is in a position, um, where sh- she has equity she cannot access. Yeah. And it is absolutely ridiculous and is terrible. If she's watching and she does want us to share the GoFundMe with you guys, [00:07:00] I will. But she was very clear about wanting to be anonymous, so I left her 100% anonymous. Uh, but she can change...
Just send me an email. You know who you are. Um, so this is the South Gate condo landslide. Um, and you know, I- I- I looked at the story because of her sending what she sent over. Mm-hmm. My God, today. Like, sometimes we share stories with you all where at the end... And to, to be clear, this isn't completely over.
It's still in litigation, but the litigation that's happened so far is like, what? So they, they still have to make a final determination, but it's... They made a decision, the contractors appealed it, and the Supreme Court ruled in the contractors' favor.
Jessica Abreu: Ooh.
Mikki Paradis: Y'all. Y'all. And this is, like, the Supreme Court of Kentucky, [00:08:00] 'cause that's where this, this all takes place.
Mm-hmm. We are-
Jessica Abreu: Let's
Mikki Paradis: see how this starts. Yeah, we are redoing our script, so please let us know if we're doing any better. I don't know. We're just, we're trying, we're trying to figure this out. So, the background, uh, and how it all kinda started is the Wood Hills Condominiums is a residential condominium complex in Southgate, Kentucky, which is just outside of Cincinnati.
Which, listen, uh, I'm a drywall contractor, not a geography major, so I did not realize that Kentucky and Ohio were real close. So it's, it's right on the border of Kentucky and Ohio. I had to Google that. It made me feel real dumb just walking you through the process here. So, in 2020-
Jessica Abreu: If it didn't help that I started laughing.
If...
Mikki Paradis: Yes, Jess. Jess is a resident asshole. I don't know if you guys have picked up on that, but she, she's a delight, but she'll [00:09:00] also hit you with a sick burn and a smile on her face. This is true. Hold on, I'm sipping. Sorry.
Jessica Abreu: Oh, man.
Mikki Paradis: She's like, "Sorry, not sorry." I also opened myself right up for it, so it's fine.
So- ... in 2023, the Sanitation District Number 1, which is referred to as SD1, a public water, uh, wastewater utility was working on a project to expand the area's sewer systems. The goal was to increase the sewer capacity and reduce sewage overflow during heavy rainfall.
Jessica Abreu: , The project was called the Licking River Siphon
Ah. Conveyance upsizing phase two.
Mikki Paradis: Phase two. I can only imagine what phase one was like.
Jessica Abreu: Uh, the Woodland Hills HOA had an easement arrangement with the SD 1 allowing access related to the sewer project.
Mikki Paradis: Yeah, s- and I, I looked into that, and it was basically like they al- they gave them [00:10:00] permission.
Mm. And that's kinda what an easement is. It's saying, "Okay, well, this, there's public utilities, and this work needs to get done," so they give them permission to do work on the land. Um, so in April 2023, SD 1 recorded an, a, a $1,600 payment to the eas- for the easement of the HOA. And I kinda looked into that about what that payment was about.
Mm-hmm. And we think it was just, like, an estimated potential, potential damage to the grass if they had to, like, resod it. They were essentially giving, like, $1,600 for them to resod it. And I was like, "What about making sure the condos don't fall down? I don't think $1,600 is gonna cover it."
Jessica Abreu: They weren't planning for that.
Mikki Paradis: So, in October of 2023, SD1 awarded Bray Construction Services a $3.56 million contract for the sewer project.
Um, Bray was responsible for excavation and installation of the new sewer piping. [00:11:00] Construction involved digging into the hillside near building 30 of the Woodland Hills, uh, condominium complex.
Jessica Abreu: Mm.
Mikki Paradis: Yeah.
Jessica Abreu: And then in May 2024- Yeah ... that's when all the trouble began.
Mikki Paradis: You.
Jessica Abreu: So on May 9th, 2024, building 30 sustained significant structural damage while sewer excavation and pipe installation were underway.
Mikki Paradis: It was insane. I saw ... They, they, they had video of it. You could ... There was literally a crack in their foundation. You could see earth. You could stick your hand in and pull dirt up. It was insane. No. It was insane.
Jessica Abreu: Residents began reporting serious problems inside of their homes. Floors cracking and becoming- Yeah
uneven. Yeah. Because the foundation-
Mikki Paradis: Literally- ...
Jessica Abreu: is completely- ...
Mikki Paradis: was
Jessica Abreu: cracked ...
Mikki Paradis: cracked. It was insane.
Jessica Abreu: The walls were separating. The doors were shifting and out of alignment. So just imagine trying to close your front door and it's just not-
Mikki Paradis: Right. And this, we've talked about this [00:12:00] on several episodes- Mm-hmm
when there's issues with ... 'Cause we had the one where the houses were sinking and I think- Yeah ... it was, like, Arizona. The same things were happening. We had the one where there was foundation issues. Whenever there's a foundation issue, all of a suddenly your doors don't close.
Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm.
Mikki Paradis: Which, I mean, it makes sense, but it's, like, not something you would necessarily track.
Jessica Abreu: No. So if your doors aren't closing properly-
Mikki Paradis: Yeah ...
Jessica Abreu: maybe look at your foundation.
Mikki Paradis: Yeah. So app- apparently even the balconies were separating.
Jessica Abreu: That is scary. I'm like, ugh. Yeah. Imagine, like, trying to step out on your balcony and you're like, "Oh,
Mikki Paradis: it's not-" There is actually, in Norse Hills, which is the neighborhood that I live in, there is a, an apartment building, it's been there forever, that 23 of the 70 balconies had to be completely removed And you like, you just drive by and the balconies are just gone.
And I was like, "Uh, no."
Jessica Abreu: They didn't put them back?
Mikki Paradis: Well, there, there is like a huge issue with like how to fix it structurally. Mm. Because it's, there it's all tied in, especially in an apartment complex. It's all, [00:13:00] there's so much- Oh ... that goes into it. So they're probably gonna have to move everybody out so they can pull all the drywall and everything down to like rebuild it and like sh- make it structurally sound.
But like that is one... I feel like that's a fear we did not need unlocked. No. I mean, Final Destination did enough damage to us. I
Jessica Abreu: know. We don't- I won't drive behind big trucks ...
Mikki Paradis: nobody's driving behind the trucks- Mm-hmm ... with this hauling- Logs ... that's hauling the logs. Mm-hmm. Absolutely no one. No. And now, and now we have to worry if we're sitting on a balcony, are we gonna die?
Nobody needs that. Ugh. So yes, even the balconies, they reported the balconies were separating. One homeowner named Brittany Evans described a crack large enough to fit her hand inside. I saw it. I saw it. I was like, "Oh my God." She also described soil coming through the baseboards, uh, an opening between neighbor, an opening between the neighborhood condos.
Mm-mm. Another homeowner reported a vertical crack running through the brick and foundation There wasn't simply cosmetic cracks. Residents were reporting [00:14:00] significant structural movement, and that is, especially in a condo building, oh my God.
Jessica Abreu: Yeah, and, like, I'm assuming that the condo building had, if this lady had paid off her thing, that the condo building has been there forever.
Oh,
Mikki Paradis: forever. It was definitely-
Jessica Abreu: So you know
Mikki Paradis: it's not- It was definitely an older condo. So it wasn't like, oh, it's settling 'cause it's brand new.
Jessica Abreu: Yeah, no.
Mikki Paradis: It was like, what the world? And the worst part about it is it was, like, an affordable ... It wasn't in a, like, i-i, you know- It wasn't
Jessica Abreu: super
Mikki Paradis: pricey ... section eight housing.
Mm-hmm. But, because people owned them, but, like, it was one of the last affordable neighborhoods in the area. Mm-hmm. And so the people that were living there, like, being displaced was a major issue.
Jessica Abreu: Ugh.
Mikki Paradis: Yeah.
Jessica Abreu: Nope. Um, and then in July '24, 2024, the landslide happened, and there was an evacuation.
Mikki Paradis: Yeah. Oh, yeah.
Jessica Abreu: So engineers began monitoring the hillside using instruments called inclino- inclinometers.
Mikki Paradis: I definitely am glad you read that. Inclinometers?
Jessica Abreu: [00:15:00] Inclinometers. Inclinometers.
Mikki Paradis: Yeah. That's what- I would say correct us in the comments, but you will anyway.
Jessica Abreu: Yeah. You can come for me. You will anyway. It's okay. I'm not in construction, so I don't have to know how to say these words.
Yeah.
Mikki Paradis: And I am, but that's still- ... no damn excuse.
Jessica Abreu: The instruments detected ongoing underground soil movement consistent with an active landslide. So this means that they are seeing soil and everything moving-
Mikki Paradis: Yeah ...
Jessica Abreu: down.
Mikki Paradis: There it goes. And this all started, so the, part of, like, the part that really grinds my gears is the s- the company that was doing the digging definitely knew that something was wrong.
Mm-hmm. But just were like, "Oh, well if nobody says anything, it didn't happen." Mm-hmm. So it took them being concerned about a freaking landslide once the homeowners started complaining about the cracks in the floor. Mm-hmm. And so this movement, I mean, obviously we're, we, we have a timeframe, m- we, you know, May [00:16:00] to July.
Jessica Abreu: It's two months.
Mikki Paradis: Think about how quickly-
Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm ...
Mikki Paradis: their houses literally started falling apart, but it wasn't until they started making complaints to the HOA, where the HOA brought in an engineer, and then engineer was like, "Uh, uh-oh." Mm-mm. "No, no." "
Jessica Abreu: You making a mistake."
Mikki Paradis: Nay, nay.
Jessica Abreu: Um, so on July 26th, 2024, residents of building 30 were advised to evacuate.
Mikki Paradis: Yeah. Approximately three dozen residents were affected. Um, the evac- evacuation was recommended because of concerns about the building's structural safety. Uh, some of the residents left immediately. Others remained because they couldn't afford alternative housing. Mm. Which is a major issue. Like, th- this- Right
this is the part that- Really kills me because the homeowners were still responsible for their mortgage, their HOA fees, and all the expenses of their property, but then they could no longer safe- safely occupy that. And part of, like, 'cause our, our, um, townhouse is technically [00:17:00] considered a condo. Mm-hmm. And so to think that the builder could do something on the property- Yep
that could then make my town home-
Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm ...
Mikki Paradis: th- worthless. Yep. But then I still have to make the HOA payments. I still have to make my mortgage payments- Mm-hmm ... or I get foreclosed on, and it's not even a property I can live in. And just, I know, listen, I'm a female drywall contractor. If you think that I am under the impression that life is fair, allow me to ins- assure you-
I am well aware that life is not fair. Well aware. But there's just this, like- I don't know. This idea that we would do what is right- Mm-hmm ... even if it is not easy or cheap.
Jessica Abreu: Right.
Mikki Paradis: And if, if I, if you as a contractor do something to make it so that three dozen people- I mean,
Jessica Abreu: you're getting, what was it, three point-
Mikki Paradis: 3.25 million
Jessica Abreu: [00:18:00] dollars
million dollars. I think you can help a few people out.
Mikki Paradis: Right. I mean, just like, and again, 'cause we were talking before we, we pressed record about how this one time this guy told me, "Well, isn't that what insurance is for?" And, um, in that case, I declined to do the thing that he knew was going to cause damage because- Mm-hmm
that's not what insurance is for. But this is exactly what insurance is for. It's general liability. You did something that- Mm-hmm ... damaged the property, that caused three dozen people to not be able to occupy their homes. It's crazy. It just, there's this, in my mind, even if the contractor didn't, didn't want to do what's right-
Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm
Mikki Paradis: the justice system should protect them- It should ... from going bankrupt because somebody made their homes- Unlivable ... impo- unlivable, uh, like too dangerous to live in. So- Mm-hmm ... the homeowners did file lawsuits.
Jessica Abreu: Oh, good. Um, on July 30th, 2024, homeowners filed lawsuits against SD1 [00:19:00] and the other parties involved in the project.
Yeah. Residents allege that construction activity destabilized the hillside and damaged their homes. The litigation eventually included claims against SD1, Bray Construction, and engineering firms involved with the project 'cause everybody did something wrong with this one.
Mikki Paradis: Everybody. Everybody.
Jessica Abreu: The Woodland Hills HOA also pursued claims.
Mikki Paradis: Yeah.
Jessica Abreu: Other condo owners allege their property value suffered even though their units weren't directly damaged, and the HOA arranged for a retaining wall to stabilize the hillside at a reported cost of approximately $1 million, which the construction company should have considered- Right ... putting in in the first place.
Mikki Paradis: Or should be paying for. Mm-hmm. Like, and so this is part of what the lady who wrote in about this story shared with us, is that's what she's talking about. Mm-hmm. So not only because of the li- like the, the legal woes- Can she not get the equity out of her [00:20:00] condo?
Jessica Abreu: But they're responsible for paying that $1 million.
But
Mikki Paradis: now sh- Mm-hmm ... her HOA fees have tripled. Mm-hmm. Because now they have ... 'Cause, 'cause I don't know, I wanna tell y'all what I, I wish I knew less about HOAs. I'm, it is not my cup of tea. Somebody telling me what I can and cannot do with my property that I am paying the mortgage on is how you catch these hands.
Mm-hmm. Okay? And if you're listening, I'm holding up my hands in a smack motion right now. Smack, smack, both of them. So I'm not the person to have an HOA. P- partially 'cause Hector has a copious amount of special trash, and if someone were to tell us that we couldn't have our special trash on our property while I'm paying the mortgage, again, catch these hands.
So we don't do HOAs. But our, our condo has an HOA. Mm-hmm. And the reality that ... So they don't have a million dollars in the bank, especially for this old condo that pr- their pr- HOA fees were probably- A couple hundred dollars ... a couple hundred dollars a year. Mm-hmm. And they've existed forever, so they probably have a [00:21:00] couple thousand dollars just to keep the HOA in existence.
Mm-hmm. The idea that they now have to pay a million dollars means they have to raise the funds for a million dollars, and that's coming out of the pocket of the people that live there. Mm-hmm. And if they already can't afford to pay their mortgage or whatever it is, the expenses of living, and they can't get equity out of their condo, how are they supposed to pay these increased HOA fees?
Jessica Abreu: And those 30 people that are displaced also have to now pay another
Mikki Paradis: rent. Another cost of living outside of their condo- Right ... that they're still paying to live in. Like, make it make sense. It doesn't. Like, it is so unjust- Mm ... that this is happening and that nobody is stepping in and being like, "No, that's not how this works."
I'm like, somebody call Mondami or Momdami, Momdami. Call him. Ooh. 'Cause he gets shit done. You got a pothole, he's on it. I'm just saying I know this is Kentucky and he's New York, but [00:22:00] call Momdami. Um, mm. He knows how to get it done. Anyway, so th- that's the situation that sh- that they're in, where they're, they're now
And I, I do not understand how this is the HOA's responsibility. It's a million dollar retaining wall. That shouldn't have had to be built until these people started digging in. Mm-hmm. And now somehow it's the HOA's responsibility. Blows my mind. And that has put so many people in a position where even if their units weren't affected, they can't afford to live there anymore 'cause they can't afford the HOA fees, but they also can't sell it because it's not sellable.
But I bet you didn't know this. You can get your condo re-f- uh, re- r- what, repossessed? Foreclosed on if you don't pay your HOA dues.
Jessica Abreu: Yeah. So-
Mikki Paradis: It takes
Jessica Abreu: a while, though.
Mikki Paradis: It takes a while, but you can literally- Yeah, they have to put a
Jessica Abreu: lien. They'll put a
Mikki Paradis: lien on your house ... be forced out of your condo over HOA fees that were unpaid.
So, like, it's not like, "Oh, just don't pay it, no big deal." [00:23:00] Eventually they can force you out of your home. Mm-hmm. So it's damned if you do, damned if you don't. So, uh, the, there was a ... Th- this definitely took ... There was many cases. There's, there's a ton of law, and all of this is coming from the, the actual cases.
We ... While I did watch a lot of the news and, uh, a lot of information is coming in from people that have shared with us, all of the facts are just taken directly from the court cases. So just, just to preface that. Um, so during the legal, legal proceedings, evidence emerged that slope, slope stability had been a concern, which makes it even worse that they knew that there was a chance if they dug into this hill- Mm-hmm
that it was, it was already not the best area to dig. They could have found another place to do it. But perhaps, and obviously I am just Spitballing here. I have no insider information. This is just a [00:24:00] guess. But it seems like they s- might have thought, since these people were a little bit lower income, that it would be fine if they messed with their soil, because what are they gonna do, sue you?
I mean, they did, but it's not really working out for the home- the people that live in this condo. So they knew that the soil was already questionable before they started dicking, which... Digging? Sorry, I did, I did say- Mm-hmm ... dicking. Mm-hmm. Sorry about that. Digging. Um, before they started digging, and it just kills me.
So an agreement between SD 1 and the HOA reportedly required either temporary shoring recommended by a licensed engineer or full-time construction monitoring. A lower court made a preliminary finding that SD 1 had not fulfilled those contractual provisions. Mm-hmm. The lower court also determined that homeowners had a [00:25:00] substantial possibility of succeeding on certain breach of contract and negligence claims.
SD 1 and Bray con- uh, contested the homeowners' claims. So they were like, "No, that's not true. That didn't happen." Really? Their condos were fine before you started digging, but okay. What do I know? So experts also discussed whether the hillside had been experienced or had experienced historical soil movement before construction.
Um, the final case of the damage, um, and each defendant's liability has not been conclusively determined. Um, and just because there was rulings, it, it's not, like, the final say. But one thing that- When I was doing all this research, they are basically trying to say that the soil was already moving. And so all of this liability is not on them because that's where the host- the historic- Mm-hmm
soil [00:26:00] movement- Mm-hmm ... is coming from. But my whole thing is, okay, well, if it was already moving, you shouldn't have dug there in the first place.
Jessica Abreu: Or you should have already known to put up a retaining wall- Right ... to protect the
Mikki Paradis: area. Like, I, I don't feel like this absolves them of any liability. I think it just showcases their incompetence- Mm-hmm
even more. But I'm also not a lawyer.
Jessica Abreu: Mm. So some of the homeowners, this is what's been happening to them since they've been- Yeah ... displaced. So one woman had to move into a rental costing approximately $1,700 a month, continued facing expenses related to her damaged condo, because she can't not pay that.
Right. She had to take up a second job to make ends meet, and reportedly had to give up her dog- Aw ... because she couldn't afford suitable pet-friendly housing.
Mikki Paradis: I be living on the streets.
Jessica Abreu: Um, another one owned her condo [00:27:00] outright, can't afford a replacement rental, ended up living in a basement with inadequate facilities, and described difficulties involving heating, bathing, and unsanitary conditions.
Mikki Paradis: Mm.
Jessica Abreu: Then we have a gentleman who stayed in his condo despite the evacuation recommendation, uh, lost rental income when somebody was renting a room- Oh ... with him moved out. Because, like- Yeah, yeah, yeah ... that person's not saying, "They're like, uh-uh." They're like, "Listen." "I am not paying you to live in something that is unlivable and, like, I need you to vacate."
I get it,
Mikki Paradis: but that sucks for him.
Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm. Um, and he's facing, uh, mounting financial problems and possible foreclosure because he can't afford to pay- Yeah ... the mortgage on his own. You have a woman there who's living on Social Security income. She remained in the building because relocating is financially difficult, and she described cracking, plumbing backups- Ooh
moisture problems, and electrical concerns. So, like, this is not ... [00:28:00]
Mikki Paradis: Yeah. These are not like- This is not- ... oh, no big deal. And the thing, too, is, and I, I get not everybody understands, like, how razor thin the margin of error is for people that are living at or just below the poverty line. Mm-hmm. So I grew up poor like that.
Like, my mom, my m- she was a single mom. There was no double income happening. She had three kids. If one thing- Mm-hmm ... like, I'm talking if she got a flat tire, we didn't eat. Mm-hmm. Because she had to choose between buying food or putting the tire on her car so she could go to work. Mm-hmm. And so, like, th- Obviously, I'm so grateful that that's not my life now.
But I can 100% remember how- Yeah, that. Mm-hmm ... there was just no room for, there was no backup funds. There was no, "Oh, if my condo is deemed structurally unsound, it's okay. I've got a little buffer." Like, when you're living on the edge, one little thing [00:29:00] happens- And that's it ... and it throws you off, and that's it.
Like, that's literally it. So, like, the guy who was renting out his room, I am s- 100% sure that that rental income was what was keeping him above water. Oh, yeah. Now, all of a suddenly, and I don't blame anybody for moving out because it's been- No ... structurally unsound. Um, did I, did I live in an apartment complex in Orlando that was condemned by the city?
I sure did. Did my mom think about staying? She sure did. So I get it. Mm-hmm. Like, the, 'cause the cost of moving too is, like, again, you have to think about, okay, so I have to go get boxes. I have to go get tape. And to us, okay, we would just go to the store and go get boxes and tape. But if you are literally living down to the nickel and dime- Mm-hmm
the added expense of-
Jessica Abreu: And, like, some of
Mikki Paradis: these people are- ... sourcing these things ... are
Jessica Abreu: older too. Yeah.
Mikki Paradis: So you
Jessica Abreu: have to hire a moving company- Right ... to come move
Mikki Paradis: your furniture. It's not as simple-
Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm ...
Mikki Paradis: when you add in the fact that these people were struggling to get by as it was. Mm-hmm. And this wasn't their fault.
It's not like they made a [00:30:00] stupid choice-
Jessica Abreu: Yeah ...
Mikki Paradis: and their condos fell apart. It was completely outside of them. So what you might be wondering, what did the sanitation district do?
Because, you know, it is 100% their fault, according to me, allegedly. So SD1 initially announced plans to assist residents with temporary relocation. The district said it was offering assistance voluntar- voluntarily without admitting legal liability. SD1 later stated that the district... What?
Jessica Abreu: Oh, I'm just choking.
Mikki Paradis: Sorry. Oh, I thought she was laughing at me.
Jessica Abreu: Nope. Sorry.
Mikki Paradis: I was like, "What did I say wrong
Jessica Abreu: now?" Sorry, I was really trying to hold that one in.
Mikki Paradis: That was your first mistake. So SD1 later stated that the district relocation communications had been suspended following direction from the homeowners' attorneys.
Residents were eventually offered $3,600 in relocation assistance without being required [00:31:00] to waive their legal claims. Most accepted the offer. For some homeowners, the financial burden continued well beyond that initial assistance.
Jessica Abreu: Mm. Yeah. So now let's go a whole year.
Mikki Paradis: Yeah.
Jessica Abreu: We're in June 2025. The homeowners win temporary financial relief.
So eight homeowners requested emergency financial assistance through the courts. Yeah. After hearings, a Campbell County judge ordered SD1 and Bray Construction to Each contribute $1,000 per homeowner per month. That totaled $2,000 per month for each of the eight homeowners. The payments were intended to help with expenses while the underlying lawsuit continued.
SD1 and Bray challenged the ruling.
Mikki Paradis: The freaking audacity. Now mind
Jessica Abreu: you- It's a thou- it's, it's $8,000 a month for each of them ...
Mikki Paradis: and here's the thing. Here's the thing. Jeez. [00:32:00] They are still having to pay their HOA fees. So it's not like, 'cause it, my mind initially went, okay, well $2,000 a month could probably help them get a pretty nice apartment.
I mean, I don't know the area, but like if the lady had g- got one for 1750, I'm like, all right, so that helps some of the expenses. But you have to factor in that they're still paying all of their fees and their mortgages and the HOA and everything at the condo- Yeah, so she's gonna pay ... that they can't live in.
So this literally is the only way that these people can afford to live safely. Mm-hmm. Is, is this $2,000 that they were, they were awarded by the courts, except for the two construction companies, SD1 and Bray Hill, or whatever their name was, challenged the ruling to the Kentucky Supreme Court. Mm-hmm. I feel like if you know anything about Kentucky, you can imagine how this went.
Guess. Guess. So February of [00:33:00] 2026, the Kentucky Supreme Court rules. The case reached Kentucky Supreme Court on February 19th, 2026, and the court ruled that the temporary payment order could not stand, meaning that the c- two construction companies weren't responsible for paying the, the $1,000 each to those eight homeowners.
It's awful. In what world? So the court, um, also identified a, uh, what is this word? pro- oh, a procedural problem involving the required injunction bond. There were two justices that descended, and I did read their descents, and they were fire. Like, these people had their finger on the pulse. The descents emphasized the immediate financial hardship, the housing instability, and the potential foreclosure facing the residents.
The Supreme Court did not decide whether SD1 or Bray Construction was responsible for [00:34:00] causing the landslide. The underlying legislation was sent back for further pro- Litigation ... oh, the underlying litigation was sent back for further proceedings. So, like, they weren't saying that, oh, they're completely off the hook.
For some reason, they were just saying they weren't required to pay for these people to survive after these construction companies destroyed their lives. Make it make sense, y'all. Mm-hmm. Like, seriously, if you're a lawyer and you understand how things work, I would love for you to write in the comments below how, why.
Explain to me, other than just pure corruption and evil humans.
Jessica Abreu: So where do they, where do things stand now?
Mikki Paradis: Oh.
Jessica Abreu: Um, the latest court ruling, um, that has been verified is from February 19th, 2026.
Mikki Paradis: Yeah, so it's that Supreme Court
Jessica Abreu: ruling. Ruling. Yeah. Yep. So SD1's financial records indicate, uh, mediation was scheduled for November 2025.
We [00:35:00] have not verified if that mediation, um-
Mikki Paradis: Yeah, so there- ... had a settlement ... there might have been a settlement, but we don't know anything about it, and if there was a settlement, it was just in the case where those- Eight ... eight homeowners were ... Because the, the homeowner that's involved in the lawsuit with the HOA- She, they, it still has not m- had any movement on it.
So there's- That's terrible ... yeah, that one has not been resolved. We don't know if there was a settlement between the homeowners that were, like, directly affected and the companies, because if it was settled outside of court, we wouldn't have access to that.
Jessica Abreu: And they probably don't wanna put that anywhere, because if they pay them, then that's kind of like admitting a little bit of fault.
Oh, 100%. I mean, and the funny- So their lawyers are probably like, "No, absolutely not."
Mikki Paradis: The funny thing is about laws like civil lawsuits is they always, whenever there's a settlement, whoever is paying the money, they always say, "This is not an admission of guilt."
Jessica Abreu: Yeah, I'm just trying to do the right thing.
Okay. But these people are not.
Mikki Paradis: Yeah.
Jessica Abreu: Um, as of October [00:36:00] 2026, the final outcome remains unconfirmed from records that have been reviewed.
Mikki Paradis: Yeah, so- So this is still ongoing ... it's still ongoing. And it's just one of those things that these homeowners didn't have any say over whether they dug up on that land.
They didn't have any say over who, who the contractor was. If you think about, like, how little they had anything to do with what happened- Mm-hmm ... but then are 100% having to eat the responsibility of this con- the construction company, that's just like, "Oh, oh, you're displaced and you, you might go bankrupt and you might be homeless?"
Mm-hmm. "Oh, sounds like a personal problem." And I'm like, "No, it's not. It's not a personal problem." Yeah. "It's a you problem." So-
Jessica Abreu: And I can just imagine, like, 'cause my home is in an HOA.
Mikki Paradis: Yeah.
Jessica Abreu: And it's the first time that we, 'cause we don't really have them up north.
Mikki Paradis: Oh, okay. I
Jessica Abreu: didn't
Mikki Paradis: know that.
Jessica Abreu: Um, housing developments and stuff don't have HOAs.
There are ones for condos and- Okay ... townhomes- Yeah ... because they're all connected. Yeah. And I actually had, when I was [00:37:00] teaching, I had a friend who their, where their condo was, they had to put up a retaining wall- Yeah ... just because the natural-
Mikki Paradis: Yeah ...
Jessica Abreu: ground was- Yeah ... coming towards them. And she's like, "It is so expensive and I cannot sell my condo-
Mikki Paradis: Yeah
Jessica Abreu: because We have to pay ... It, it wasn't that they raised their fees. They just had a one-time- Oh
Mikki Paradis: my God ...
Jessica Abreu: um, there's a certain word for it. Yeah. And it's escaping my brain because I'm still jet lagged. Um- '
Mikki Paradis: Cause
Jessica Abreu: she's
Mikki Paradis: been traveling the world, y'all.
Jessica Abreu: Um, is, but she-
Mikki Paradis: Yeah, no,
Jessica Abreu: it's- They have to pay that, and it's just
I forget what I was even going with that.
Mikki Paradis: Well, no, it's, it's one thing to re- it, it, it's one thing to consider, right? Like, when you're buying a condo, 'cause I know, like, when we had problems with our financing when we were buying the condo 'cause our lender just did not wanna lend in a, in a condo community.
Mm-hmm. Um, w- it's something to factor in, that in, especially in a condo, I mean, at least your home is, is a single family home.
Jessica Abreu: Oh, that's what I was saying. The HOA.
Mikki Paradis: You, we circled back. [00:38:00] We- Listen-
Jessica Abreu: It'll get there ...
Mikki Paradis: we're doing the best we can.
Jessica Abreu: We are. Um, whenever anything goes wrong- Yeah ... in the community with the HOA or what we're paying or blah, blah, blah, the people that are on the board- Yeah
that, like, agreed to whatever it was that has now gone wrong get, like, blasted. Oh, yeah. So I can only imagine the poor people that were- Oh, God ... on this board that said, "Oh, yeah, you can use our easement." You
Mikki Paradis: did for $1,600.
Jessica Abreu: All those people that got displaced- They have since
Mikki Paradis: moved ... the fact that they- Yeah, I
Jessica Abreu: mean- They were gonna come after them, like, whoo.
Mikki Paradis: Yeah. It makes me think of the you went 5,000 Cal- uh, Kelvins, Carl. Have you seen that on Instagram? Mm-mm. Okay. You know how the social media really serves me, the algorithm, it, it just loves to get me fired up, which I respect. So for so- for some reason, I think, like, after we bought the condo, the co- the, the al- algorithm knew- Mm-hmm
that I was now involved in the HOA and it wanted to get me fired up. Oh. So it started serving me these recordings of the [00:39:00] HOA meetings, and this one guy is getting, like, just tore up from the person on the board because he had he had really bright lights, and she was, this lady was like, "Your, your, your house looks like a gas station at 5:00 in the morning.
You went 5,000 Kelvins, Carl." And I-
Jessica Abreu: I know what? I have seen that- I- ... 'cause Ashley sent that to me Every time.
Mikki Paradis: Every time I see it. Oh. I, I don't want that kinda drama in my life, but listen, I'm okay with the algorithm serves me that stuff up. And listen, the algorithm might be serving us up to you, and we are grateful for you watching and sharing and liking and subscribing and all the things because the more you guys do that, it helps us know what you like or don't like.
And for some of you all, you like nothing. And I respect that. As a grouchy person myself, I get it. I do wanna just, I'm just gonna throw this out there [00:40:00] On our last s- round of reels, one of them I talked about how, 'cause y- it was with Nicole. So she's been in construction for 25 years. I've been in construction, like on the records, for 22 years.
Mm-hmm. Could be longer than that. I literally grew up in it. But Somebody made a comment down below about, "Oh, her construction company or her husband's?" Here's what I need to tell you guys. If you're gonna come in the comments sections, try to be original. Okay? I have been this, but 20 years younger for some time now.
If you think you're the first person to accuse me of not really owning a construction company, and not working in the trades, and not knowing h- how to hang and finish and scrap and repair and sand drywall, you would be sadly mistaken. Now, I love a little sick burn in the comments. I'm not gonna lie. You know what lives [00:41:00] rent-free in my head?
The one time the guy accused me of being drunk. I still think- I still think that's hilarious. See? Look at Jess, she's laughing. We laugh about stuff like that all the time here. So if you're gonna hit me with a little razzle-dazzle, g- make it razzle-dazzle. Don't- Make it
Jessica Abreu: original ...
Mikki Paradis: don't come in here with the, "Oh, the her- you mean her husband's construction company?"
And
Jessica Abreu: it's not.
Mikki Paradis: That's old. It's used. Everybody's said it. It's not even a good one. Come at me with something that's gonna make me laugh, like the guy who thought I was drunk. That was freaking hilarious. It was. Now, I do think that was a bot anyway, but, like, I'm just saying, if you're gonna hit up the comments section, make it good.
Like, make other people laugh. I think f- like some of the co- the, like, posts I see, the comments sections are the best part.
Jessica Abreu: They really are.
Mikki Paradis: I'm just like, if you're gonna, if you're gonna put yourself out there- I love how they,
Jessica Abreu: people argue with-
Mikki Paradis: Each
Jessica Abreu: other ... each other on
it ...
Mikki Paradis: in the comments section, which listen, you guys [00:42:00] know I'm here for it, 100%.
Jessica Abreu: Love it. Get some popcorn. I
Mikki Paradis: think on the, for the one guy who made the comment, I, I just, I went in and I was like, "Why don't you Google me?" But I do want you to know that I used all the restraint inside my soul to not say, "Bitch." I did. But I was like, Jess would- We're so proud of you ... Jess would like for me to be somewhat polite, so I didn't.
Now, if you wanna check us out on the socials to see what's popping in the comments section, 'cause listen- ... there's always something. Always something. There's always something. You can check us out. Where can they find us on the socials?
Jessica Abreu: On Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, it's @ChicksInConstructionPodcast.
On TikTok, it's @ChicksInConstruction.
Mikki Paradis: Didn't we miss Jess 'cause she's so good at that? And if you have a story that you wanna share with us, hopefully your condo did not also experience a landslide, because I don't know how much more of that I can take. Mm. I'm on the cusp of a breakdown here, people. But either way, we wanna hear.
ChicksInConstruction.com, that's our website, me and Jess. You scroll down, there's a [00:43:00] little form, you can share your story with us. And we appreciate every single one of you that is sharing your story. Mm-hmm. Some of your stories, just so you know, I know nobody's still watching, but for those of you who are-
we f- want, number one, we appreciate you. But some of you have sent in some, some shorter stories And we're going to read them, but we're gonna kinda do a whole episode where we just read the shorter stories, 'cause, you know, we do need to make this an episode. So if you have written in and it's a little bit shorter, know it's coming.
It's just, it's gonna take a little bit. We're compiling. So with that, guys, we love you. We hope you're doing, having the best day ever, and we'll see you next time. Bye. Bye.