WALKER - A large D.R. Horton development in Walker that stopped construction over a year ago over water pressure issues is back to building. The project is starting its 2nd and 3rd phases. 

Parish leaders say the initial problem has been addressed, but as 2 On Your Side has learned, people currently living in the neighborhood say there’s a lot of unsolved problems. 

Livingston Parish President Randy Delatte says the fire suppression issue has been resolved. In January 2024, WBRZ reported that residents feared D.R. Horton had abandoned the job. 

The parish says the developer originally had a will-serve letter from Ward 2 Water and did not realize that the existing system lacked adequate pressure for fire suppression until construction was finished in Phase 1. Once the issue was identified the developer began working on solutions. Hydrants were temporarily installed in the development’s ponds. 

Deric Murphy of Quality Engineering has been hired with addressing the lacking infrastructure to correct the fire suppression issue in all building phases.

“We’re putting in an independent fire flow system that’ll flow into the 1st filing, we’ll take care of the 2nd and 3rd filings, there will be large pumps in here that keep the entire system surcharged, that way everyone is protected,” said Murphy.

Delatte says the changes will help the area’s fire rating. 

The parish says over 6,300 feet of water main lines and 6,200 feet of sewer main lines and associated infrastructure, including a new lift station with dual submersible sewage pumps has also been approved for the new phases. 

While the next phases of the Foxglove neighborhood is developed, people in the completed phase say issues with their homes remain. One property owner says when she plugs in and turns on more than one appliance in her kitchen, it flips a breaker. That same property owner says she has weak water pressure in her house.

That homeowner, who does not want to be identified in this story but goes by Chastity, says her family moved into their home in 2022. Since then, the problems have added up. Some of those problems are now outside of the one year warranty. Chastity says she has watched as her neighbors have replaced flooring, siding, and had mold issues. 

“We have rebar sticking up in our backyard, if you’re going to throw houses together like this and someone has to spend over $200,000 for these houses they should be done right,” said Chastity. 

It’s not the only thing that’s been adding up for these residents. Community Management oversees the property finances and runs the HOA. The HOA fees have been raised three times; now $480 a year up from $330. 

“We’re supposed to have a splash pad in front with the park, no splash pad; that’s one of the reasons why we moved here,” said Chastity.

With 200 more homes to build in Foxglove, the current residents are waiting to see what happens next and whether they’ll have similar issues.