Tennessee backyard sinkholes raise alarm after resident says ground collapsed under husband

One Tennessee homeowner says a sinkhole issue tied to her homeowners association land has made her backyard dangerous.

Concern escalated after the homeowner alleged that the sinkholes, originally found on HOA property, have now spread into her backyard and nearly injured her husband. 

What happened?

Kimberly Starr told NewsChannel 5 she believes the problem began on the HOA property behind her lot. She says several large holes have since opened in the yard behind her Clarksville home and continue to grow.

Before the ground began breaking apart, Starr said evenings in the backyard were part of the family's routine. "We like sitting out here in the evenings," Starr told the outlet, adding, "We like watching the deer come up and feed and play."

Now, Starr says the openings are multiplying: "We have this big crater here — then we have this one. Then all these holes just keep getting bigger and bigger." She said there was no sign of sinkholes when the family bought the home in 2021.

Her worries intensified after one of the holes gave way beneath her husband. "And when he stepped down — I mean his whole [leg] up to his knee went down in the hole," Starr said to NewsChannel5.

Although an engineer visited about a year and a half ago after Starr contacted Timmons Properties, the HOA management company, she says the issue still has not been resolved.

In a statement cited by NewsChannel 5, City of Clarksville Street Department Director David Smith said, "It's been on our radar and we've been communicating with the HOA." 

Why does it matter?

Sinkholes can pose safety risks for families, pets, and anyone walking through a yard. They can also leave homeowners facing costly repairs, especially when the suspected source of the problem is on nearby land they do not control.

Because she believes the damage starts on HOA land, Starr says bringing in her own engineers may not make sense unless that area is addressed first. 

HOAs often seem to take advantage of the homeowners they're supposed to serve. While a series of sinkholes may seem like an issue an HOA would help the Starrs deal with, only time will tell what happens to the properties and the dispute.

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