Lake Oswego changes its tune, offers retirees $42K for damage from burst water main

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore. (KOIN) — After a retiree’s home in Lake Oswego was inundated with nearly $100,000 worth of damage from a city water main that burst, KOIN 6 News followed up on the situation to see if the city would become involved after they previously offered no kind of help.

After an investigative report by KOIN 6 shedding light on the issue, the city has seemingly changed its tune.

This all comes after Gary Vuchinich and his wife, both in their 70s, filed a claim with the city only to be denied any help, initially. However, the City of Lake Oswego has now offered them $42,000 to put toward the repairs, though it only covers roughly half the cost, Vuchinich said.

Former Portland Trail Blazer Ben McLemore arrested, accused of rape

“We expected the city to make us whole, he said. “And they didn’t do that.”

Back in February, KOIN 6 got a look inside the home, including the entire main floor that had to be gutted due to the contaminated water that flooded it. This wiped out their bedroom bathroom and living room. Since then, the walls, flooring and bathroom have finally been replaced.

Initially, the homeowner said the City of Lake Oswego said their insurance wouldn’t cover a dime. At the time, the city also refused to comment or interview for the report.

Mayor Wheeler’s use of encrypted iMessages costs city $166K

“The community really did come behind us after your news story,” Vuchinich said. “We had letters written by our association and supported by all the members of the association. Those letters that they put together, they sent to the city. And so we think that all led to the city actually wanting to start to negotiate.”

However, Vuchinich warns other homeowners this could easily happen to them, too.

“I think every homeowner in the city is at a risk for incidents like ours. They could be sewer lines, they could be water lines, because obviously, the infrastructure in this community is aging. And in our particular case, it caused significant damage to our property. So I really would hope that the city would take a more reactive approach to fixing the infrastructure and bringing it up to date.”

Vuchinich’s home will finally be fully repaired and livable next week, nearly six months after the water main broke.

Portland homeowner fears son’s eviction after city issues fines for trailer

KOIN 6 News reached out to Lake Oswego Mayor Joe Buck about the issue. He gave us this response:

The city has worked to keep Mr. & Mrs. Vuchinich in communication with our insurance company, and the two parties are actively engaged in reaching a resolution. As sympathetic as events like this are, the details can be complicated and require investigation by professionals. By working through a defined process we ensure fair and equitable outcomes.

Initially, the city’s insurance company said it was not liable for the damages.

In terms of private insurance options, Vuchinich explained his home isn’t in a flood zone and therefore wasn’t eligible for flood insurance. However, even if they could claim personal insurance, it likely would have only covered about $10,000 of the damage.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.