Developer says it had no permit for failing retaining wall now jeopardizing San Antonio homes

Builder lacked permit for failing retaining wall

SAN ANTONIO — The developer of a San Antonio neighborhood where a landslide threatens about a dozen homes concedes it lacked a permit for a nearly 1,000-foot long retaining wall that began crumbling Sunday.

Lauren Darnell of Centex Homes says the wall was built according to industry standards, but the builder didn’t have a permit for its construction. He said Tuesday an earlier wall in the same location was torn down and rebuilt because of drainage issues in 2007.

Twenty-five homes on the northwest side of San Antonio remain evacuated as engineers try to determine whether the ground is stable.

Darnell says the developer is working with homeowners to find accommodations after several homes saw their backyards slide downhill and their foundations exposed.