Swelling Creek Erodes Banks, Encroaches On Pleasanton Home
PLEASANTON (KPIX 5) -- A flooded creek in the East Bay is slowly destroying one family's home; and they say city officials aren't doing much to help.
The house is in Pleasanton off Foothill Road near Arroyo De La Laguna Creek.
Family members say they're stuck with a slow-motion disaster. Sitting poolside, it was a million-dollar backyard view: the rolling hills, the trees arching over the stream below.
"This was beautiful," said homeowner Ginger Belshe. "More than anybody could every ask for."
But now the Arroyo Creek is a flooded, muddy mess. Eroding the Pleasanton hillside and taking Belshe's backyard down too.
"Every second it just keeps going away," Belshe said. "We probably lost 20 feet by now."
The devastating storms came just as Belshe put the $2 million home up for sale. Her family planned to downsize and help fund college educations for her two teens.
"We can't sell it ... we called the insurance they said they can't do anything," Belshe said. "We've lost everything and nobody is willing to help."
The problem, according to the city, is that the creek is considered part of the homeowner's property, leaving the family facing what to do-- on their own.
Pleasanton Director of Engineering Steve Kirkpatrick said, "Technically it is not the city's jurisdiction, but they are a city resident and we are concerned for them and we are trying to rally as much as we can to figure out what can be done."
The city is working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service about possibly getting flood assistance for the family.
For now, the city says the home is safe enough for them to stay.
So Belshe is laser-focused on her new view of the edge of her property slipping away. "It's crazy," she said. "We are packing things up ... we have a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old that are basically just getting by."
