Florida renter heard popping and couldn't open her door. Engineers later found a sinkhole

A popping noise in March first alerted one Florida renter that all was not right at her Rialto Apartments building. Months after the building was evacuated and residents were displaced, an engineering firm determined the cause.  

Here's what to know

As WKMG News 6 detailed, approximately 200 families were awakened and ordered to leave their apartments in March. When Orange County Fire Rescue responded to a call from a resident who heard popping sounds, they found signs the building was unstable. 

The resident was unable to open the front door, and firefighters had to pry it open to free her. 

An engineering report from Simpson Gumpertz & Heger later found that a sinkhole had opened up underneath the building, causing it to slowly shift. The report was released in September, around five months after a foundation repair company laid grout to re-stabilize the building.

"The observed Building downward displacement is most likely the result of a deep-seated subsidence mechanism consistent with soil raveling into void spaces in the underlying limestone, also known as karstic or sinkhole conditions," the Rialto summarized in its FAQs.  

More background

Across the country, landlords have been criticized for preventing renters from pursuing money-saving lifestyle changes, including gardening and hanging clotheslines to dry laundry.

For renters seeking to discuss established property rules with their landlords, understanding how to approach rule changes is a good starting point. 

But the structural damage at Rialto raised a more pertinent question, WKMG News 6 noted: "Can it ever reopen?" At the time of writing, that remains unclear. 

According to Rialto's official website, almost every affected household received help, and 95% of residents have been relocated since March. Rialto officials said at least one lawsuit had yet to be resolved following the evacuation and relocation efforts.

"Throughout SGH's investigation, The Rialto has remained committed to ensuring a thorough and responsible process," the apartment says on its website. 

Where can I learn more?

These stories cover a ceiling collapse, sinkhole concerns, construction vibrations, and apartment flooding.

• A renter heard a massive bang before discovering the basement ceiling had collapsed, raising safety concerns.

• In Massachusetts, sinkhole questions linger as mill demolition clears space for 91 affordable housing units.

• In Texas, sinkholes at a dam supplying half of Tyler's water prompted a full risk review.

• In Minneola, Florida, homeowners say road construction shakes homes, while county officials say readings are legal.

• Florida apartment renters say heavy rain leaves them wading through a parking lot with their children.

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