OCTOBER 19, 2022 CANDIDATE FORUMS HELD IN BUDA
SECOND BUDA RODEO DRAWS A CROWD
PAGES 3 & 6
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Hays Free Press
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HaysFreePress.com
Vol. 128 • No. 32
Serving Hays County, TX
Lennar building practices cause concern
Buda homeowner speaks out BY BRITTANY ANDERSON
BUDA — Jack Zapata has lived in the Stonefield subdivision in Buda with his family for six years — but now, he is looking to heed warning to other potential homebuyers after experiencing problems with builder Lennar. After the Zapatas signed for and purchased their home in 2016, they noticed one major problem before even moving in. “I had initial concerns because they were pouring these foundations when we were having some really bad weather,” Zapata said. “The ground was soaked; [the] foundations were soaked.” In spring 2020, Zapata began noticing things in and around his house that indicated foundation issues, such as doors not lining up and the staircase cracking in the exterior brick. Zapata is not alone. Along with his next-door neighbor and three other homes around their block requiring foundation lifts, his neighbors across the street had been in their brand-new home for only about eight months before they started seeing cracks, which went all the way up their two-story wall. “I understand a one-off,
but this is not a one-off,” Zapata said. Lennar has faced similar problems in other subdivisions around Central Texas. A KXAN Investigates story in February 2022 found that across 11 years' worth of records, 49 homes at Lennar’s Bradshaw Crossing neighborhood in southeast Austin had city permits filed for foundation repair. Zapata’s next-door neighbor lives next to a green belt hill, which often causes flooding between their two homes. His neighbor’s sump pump runs constantly, and Zapata even built a stone path to try and mitigate excess runoff, as he believed that could have contributed to the foundation issues. Lennar first chose to implement several “financial alternatives” to a foundation lift such as putting in downspouts, gutters and regrading yards, which were unsuccessful. Zapata’s foundation lift occurred in November 2020, lifting the rear of the home about seven inches and the front of the home about one inch. Zapata noted that it took months to have the driveway, patio, sprinkler system and grass put back in place following
PHOTO BY BRITTANY ANDERSON
The open under-slab tunneling hole in Zapata’s backyard, which has rendered the area unsafe for his young children to play around and caused mold in his bathroom linen closet.
After mold was found in the Zapatas' bathroom linen closet, the bathtub and walls were torn out to expunge the mold, but remains unfinished. The exposed wall and lack of insulation also affected their electric bill.
the lift, and that there is still work to be done to finish up the lift nearly two years on. The under-slab tunneling has also caused problems, including being able to hear a hollow echo underneath the house when walking and leaving part of the backyard unsafe for his children due to the large hole present. In April, Zapata noticed mold along the baseboards
temperature difference below the house, the open tunnels build up humidity underneath, so a lot of moisture and heat gets trapped in those areas where there’s no soil up against it to reabsorb that,” Zapata said. “[It is] the exact mixture to grow mold.” With the bathtub and walls torn out, Zapata has now been left with
PHOTO BY BRITTANY ANDERSON
and in the towels and sheets of one of their bathroom linen closets. The mold was also found underneath the bathtub and up the surrounding walls. A mold remediation company was brought in, as well as a forensic company to investigate the cause of the mold, who determined that it came from the tunnels. “Because of the
active construction sites both inside and out. The tunnels remain open — polyjacking might be the only solution — and while work finally began to put the bathroom back together in early October, it was still unusable for the entire summer. The lack of wall insulation made their electric bill skyrocket from
See LENNAR, page 8
IN REMEMBRANCE
Hays CISD honors Lance Clary BY MEGAN WEHRING BUDA –The Hays CISD community honored the life of a longtime educator and coach. On Friday, Oct. 7, the
Hays High School swim team and YMCA Camp Moody came together to unveil a plaque that celebrates the life of Coach Lance Clary – he was a beloved mentor, coach, family member and friend.
The Hays CISD community was struck with the unbelievable loss of Clary earlier this year. The plaque is located near the entrance of the Camp Moody Natatorium. On hand to help
commemorate the plaque were Hays High assistant athletic coordinator Danny Preuss, Hays High head swimming and water polo coach Justyn Payne, as well as family and friends including wife Tracy Clary.
PHOTO BY MOSES LEOS
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
A newly unveiled plaque hangs near the Camp Moody Natatorium in honor of Coach Lance Clary, who died earlier this year.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Tracy Clary receives a hug from Danny Preuss, Hays High assistant athletic coordinator.
Superintendent Dr. Eric Wright, left, and football coach Les Goad hold up a congratulatory banner.
Les Goad celebrates 200th career victory BY AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Members of the Hays High School swim team, YMCA Camp Moody and family/friends helped celebrate the life of Lance Clary on Friday, Oct. 7.
VOTER’S GUIDE INSIDE
The Hays Hawks head football coach, Les Goad, earned his 200th career victory after a road win over Boerne Champion (34-29) on Sept. 22. Goad said the focus was on winning a district game that could put the Hawks in a position to make it to the playoffs.
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“That was the real excitement,” Goad said. “Any time you win a game like that, it’s a lot of fun.” As a head coach, Goad has been to the State Semifinals twice, once at Navarro and another time at Hays. “Being able to win the region at two different places in a four-year span
See GOAD, page 10