PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Relief is on the way for homeowners living on a road closed due to sinkholes in Hudson.

Pasco County will buy six homes on the closed portion of Willow Brook Court in the Lakeside Woodlands community.

The county shut down part of that road in August 2019 when several sinkholes opened up in a retention area. It turns out, many of the homes there are built on top of a cave system.

It’s a relief for neighbors like Thomas Murray. He has not been able to drive to his own home for two years. He has used a wheelbarrow to cart groceries and supplies between his home and his car on the other side of a barrier.

“You’re hauling everything. After two years, it gets a little frustrating and old,” Murray said.

According to a presentation at this week’s county commission meeting, Pasco County has looked at several different remedies.

It has applied for grants to repair the road, but those were denied. An engineering study showed repairing the road would be costly and require upkeep. So instead, commissioners voted to spend $1.4 million to buy out the affected homeowners and demolish the homes and road. The property will become a drainage area.

Commissioners made this decision because the road is owned by the county.  

“They are seniors and children,” Commissioner Jack Mariano said. “They can’t lead a quality of life getting to their homes, through no fault of their own.”

Pasco County does not have a time frame yet for when these homes will be bought — or how much homeowners will get.

Murray says he’s relieved a plan has been made. But it also means giving up on his forever home.

“If we could stay here and the road was open, we would,” Murray said, “We’ve been here 40 years in this home. This is our forever home. And now at age 75, we’re going to start all over again.”