A sectioon of a collapsed underground storm drain in La Habra, CA, on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. in 2019, during torrential rains, a 100-foot-long section of underground storm drain opened up overnight between rows of homes in the condominium complex and later expanded. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A massive sinkhole at a La Habra condominium complex will soon be no more, local leaders declared Thursday, Aug. 15, by lifting the first dirt into the wide trench, signaling the start of construction that will repair the collapse from five years ago.
A storm channel running underneath a grassy area between two rows of homes in the Coyote Village condo complex collapsed in early 2019 after heavy rainfall, exposing a huge hole just feet from residents’ doors. Efforts to figure out who should pay to fix the problem and legal wrangling delayed getting the storm channel rebuilt, and a second sinkhole formed in 2023.
Dirt was removed from atop a section of an underground storm drain to help prevent it from collapsing like a nearby section that collapsed in La Habra, CA, on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. in 2019, during torrential rains, a 100-foot-long section of underground storm drain opened up overnight between rows of homes in the condominium complex and later expanded. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Council members Carrie Surich, left, James Gomez, center, and State Senator Josh Newman ceremonially break ground on the start of the repair of a collapsed underground storm drain in La Habra, CA, on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. in 2019, during torrential rains, a 100-foot-long section of underground storm drain opened up overnight between rows of homes in the condominium complex and later expanded. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Councilman James Gomez, left, and State Senator Josh Newman, center, and Mayor Daren Nigsarian ceremonially break ground on the start of the repair of a collapsed underground storm drain in La Habra, CA, on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. in 2019, during torrential rains, a 100-foot-long section of underground storm drain opened up overnight between rows of homes in the condominium complex and later expanded. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A sectioon of a collapsed underground storm drain in La Habra, CA, on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. in 2019, during torrential rains, a 100-foot-long section of underground storm drain opened up overnight between rows of homes in the condominium complex and later expanded. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Mayor Daren Nigsarian speaks near a section of a collapsed underground storm drain in La Habra, CA, on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. in 2019, during torrential rains, a 100-foot-long section of underground storm drain opened up overnight between rows of homes in the condominium complex and later expanded. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A collapsed underground storm drain in La Habra, CA, on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. in 2019, during torrential rains, a 100-foot-long section of underground storm drain opened up overnight between rows of homes in the condominium complex and later expanded. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Workers place. asign explaining the repair of a section of a collapsed underground storm drain in La Habra, CA, on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. in 2019, during torrential rains, a 100-foot-long section of underground storm drain opened up overnight between rows of homes in the condominium complex and later expanded. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
State Senator Josh Newman speaks near a section of a collapsed underground storm drain in La Habra, CA, on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. in 2019, during torrential rains, a 100-foot-long section of underground storm drain opened up overnight between rows of homes in the condominium complex and later expanded. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Dirt was removed from atop a section of an underground storm drain to help prevent it from collapsing like a nearby section that collapsed in La Habra, CA, on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. in 2019, during torrential rains, a 100-foot-long section of underground storm drain opened up overnight between rows of homes in the condominium complex and later expanded. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
But now, those questions have been answered and workers on Friday will begin repairing the storm channel, where one hole that opened up was 100 feet long and 20 feet wide.
“It is such a relief to know that this is finally on its way,” said Rose Lujan, whose home is right in front of the storm channel.
State Sen. Josh Newman said the hazard was too important to ignore and in 2022 secured $8.5 million in state funding to pay for the repairs. Newman said while responsibility was in dispute for a while “there was no question it was going to be expensive.”
The condos’ homeowners association, Newman said, would have had to assess its 71 units to pay for the repairs.
“Most, if not all, of the residents here cannot afford that,” Newman said. “Most, if not all, the residents here would have had to sell their properties.”
The storm channel is part of the Orange County Flood Control System. When the hole formed, it took down trees and sidewalk slabs and damaged a home.
Lujan said there were doubts through the years if the sinkholes would ever be fixed. She said once she saw workers removing bushes nearby Thursday morning, she knew it was for real.
“The funding was a miracle,” Lujan said. “I don’t know what we would’ve done.”
Mayor Daren Nigsarian said La Habra had been known in the county as a sleepy community, but the sinkhole started to become linked to the city’s identity.
“Not an ideal thing to be somewhat notorious or famous for,” Nigsarian said.
Councilmember James Gomez said the city is so happy that the day work will begin to fix the sinkhole has finally arrived. Gomez said there were many times concerns were so strong that it wouldn’t reach this point.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are going to fill this hole!” Gomez said with glee when he and others used golden shovels to put dirt into the sinkhole at a ceremony Thursday.
Construction workers will start repairs on Friday. Dave Sorem, who owns the construction company that’s doing the work, said the plan is to get the channel rebuild done by the beginning of next year.
Precast concrete culverts will be installed in the channel and greenery will go over that. The new channel will be so strong that, “You can drive semis up and down that and you’ll be fine,” Sorem said.
No matter how irritating construction noise can be, Lujan said the crew’s work is welcomed.
“If they can work 24/7,” Lujan said, “I wouldn’t mind.”
