When Randal Miller and Honi Jurison bought their Spring Hill home four years ago, the front-yard view overlooking Downtown Pittsburgh made the property feel like a steal. Less appealing, however, was the steep rock face bordering the far edge of their backyard.
“Paying $75,000 for a million-dollar view? It was a no-brainer,” Mr. Miller said of their early 20th-century home in the 1000 block of Goehring Street. “But that cliff back there has always been kind of ominous.”
Over the weekend, the cliff came crashing down, leaving behind a pile of rock, brush and snapped trees. The city evacuated Mr. Miller and Ms. Jurison, and residents of five other homes — three others on Goehring and two on Kenzig — as engineers examined the properties. The homes were determined “imminently dangerous,” and residents may not return until the properties are deemed safe, according to a statement from the mayor’s office on Tuesday.
That left residents scrambling Tuesday to gather their belongings and find other housing options in the meantime.
Mr. Miller, 35, and Ms. Jurison, 27, said the first sign of trouble happened Saturday afternoon when a boulder tumbled into their backyard. They called police, who told them there was nothing they could do immediately, Mr. Miller said.
“We told them this could be a public safety issue,” he said. “We didn’t want to be the people sitting on our hands when the whole thing came crashing down.”
That evening, trees slid down the cliff, and more debris fell on Sunday, he said. They were not evacuated until Monday.
It’s the second major home ownership setback Mr. Miller and Ms. Jurison have faced in recent years. The couple was displaced by a house fire 2 ½ years ago at the same address that required major renovations.
“In a way, it makes this easier because we've already been through a life-changing catastrophe,” Mr. Miller said. “At least here we can figure out what we want to pack up and take with us, as opposed to coming home and the house is on fire.”
But their homeowner’s insurance covered the fire; it won’t pay for fixes after the landslide.
At a City Council meeting on Tuesday, Councilwoman Darlene Harris, whose district includes the house hit by the landslide, said she believes a past water leak may have led to the current problems. City officials have not publicly disclosed a cause.
“I would like the city to see if it can get some relief from the state to be able to help these families,” Mrs. Harris said. “And when are we going to work on this hillside to keep it from sliding [in the future]?”
Helen Jackson, who has lived with her husband in a two-story home at the top of the hill for more than two decades, said their property has never had problems with landslides. She said the ground on their property is stable.
She resisted leaving, and worries about protecting their belongings from potential intruders.
“I have to go to work every day,” Ms. Jackson said. “What are we going to do? I have no idea where we can go.”
Matt McKinney: mmckinney@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1944 or @Mmckinne17.
First Published: February 20, 2018, 8:59 p.m.
