Burgers, who still lives in the house but leaves when it is windy, is holding out hope that the company will pay damages so she can have her home reinforced.
Burgers' attorney, Andrew Slutkin of Silverman Thompson Slutkin and White, said his client recognized the problem within days of moving in and "for years they put her off. It really is sad that something wasn't done sooner to this builder who obviously has had run-ins with regulators and clients for a long time."
Few assets, little recourse
Wright, the Perryman Pointe homeowner, said she and her husband have considered a lawsuit. But they are convinced that Altieri Homes has few assets left. "If we spent more money," she said, "we're not going to get anything back."
Pennsylvania court records show that Greig and Daren Altieri live at separate properties in Woodbine, which they do not own. One has an assessed value of more than $1 million; the other is taxed at $839,000. The one remaining piece of property that Greig Altieri owns, a rental property, is in foreclosure, he said.
Greig Altieri said the company did not file for bankruptcy because "there wasn't anything to save. When the value of your land is all of the sudden worth less than you owe on it, you know, there was nothing to save. We didn't have any money, and neither did the company."
Greig Altieri said he blamed "runaway government" for his legal troubles.
"You're more likely to be abused by the attorney general than you are to be abused by a criminal," Altieri said.
Gansler, who described the company's business practices as "rank fraud," said the goal of the lawsuit is to get restitution for victims, but criminal charges are possible.
The attorney general's office has been attempting to serve the lawsuit on the brothers since April.
Greig Altieri said Friday that he has not been evading service of the lawsuit. A hearing on the case is set for June 23.Many of the Altieri homeowners said they will be following the outcome and hope it is not too late to obtain relief.
"It's an every day, sick-to-your-stomach," feeling, Wright said. "We work hard, but we will owe for the rest of our lives."
