Lennar Sued by Seminole Tribe for Hundreds of Defective Homes

It may not be too uncommon for one or two homes from a top builder to have minor defects during construction. But for a highly regarded construction company to have more than 500 defective homes, that is totally uncalled for and frankly infuriating.

This is what a tribe is alleging. The Seminole Tribe of Florida states that 552 homes built by Lennar Corporation over the past five years are so riddled with defects that they are uninhabitable. The tribe has filed a lawsuit against the Miami-based builder, stating that, among other defects, every home has to have the roof replaced.

The lawsuit was filed in March, and while there has been mediation, efforts to resolve the dispute have not worked out. The tribe filed an amended complaint recently spelling out defects in every one of the 552 homes. The most common complaints include shoddy roofs and mold accumulation.

The lawsuit alleges that tribal members have been evicted from their houses due to unsafe living conditions caused by design and construction-related defects. The homes are located on Seminole land across seven counties: Broward, Hillsborough, St. Lucie, Lake, Glades, Hendry, and Collier counties. The most recent homes built in Broward went up in 2023 and 2024.

The tribe’s attorneys state that they are done trying to negotiate with Lennar and are ready to resolve their dispute in court. In an amended complaint filed September 10, the attorneys for the tribe state that Lennar spent the last six months “tricking and deceiving the Tribe into falsely believing that Lennar had every intention of amicably resolving all of these very serious issues,” The complaint even accuses Lennar of concealing their intentional misconduct and fraud.

Lennar has responded, stating that it takes these concerns seriously. The builder would prefer to use arbitration to settle the dispute without taking the case to court. Lennar has stated that it would like to work collaboratively with the Seminole Tribe. The company even claims to have a comprehensive plan in place that addresses the necessary repairs and enhancements and is fully prepared to begin work immediately.

An attorney for the tribe states that the homes are unlivable, with each one having various major construction defects. Examples include air quality issues, mold, and roof replacements.

Lennar is facing additional construction quality lawsuits in Homestead and Volusia County. They were filed earlier this year and are unrelated to the Seminoles tribe’s suit.

Contact Us Today

People pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for homes, and they should be livable, without mold or other issues.

If your new home has defects, the contractor could be to blame. If you have been affected, contact a Florida defective construction claim lawyer from Linkhorst Law Firm. We can assist you if you are facing construction defect litigation by guiding you through the claims process. Fill out the online form or call 561-626-8880 to schedule a consultation with our office.

Source:

yahoo.com/news/articles/seminole-tribe-sues-lennar-over-160000653.html