UMATILLA — Sinkholes have been forming for years at an apartment complex in Umatilla, where a resident said the problem is worsening and safety concerns are rising. City officials said this is a private property issue.

Residents at the Links Apartments — which houses tenants age 62 and older or those with disabilities — were notified in an April 14 letter titled “Sink Holes,” urging them to stay off the grassy areas.

“We are experiencing areas that are developing sinkholes,” the letter read. “We are in the process of finding someone to survey our grounds.”

Wynetta Johnson, a resident of the Links Apartments, said she has lived there for seven years and noticed more sinkholes appear within the past two years if not sooner. She said she has seen at least 15 to 20 form in the area.

Johnson said it’s now time for her to move to a safer place.

“When things started falling apart, my goal was to get out of here as fast as I could, as quiet as I could, and just find someplace safe, and it just kept getting worse and worse and worse,” she said.

Johnson said in 2021 she twisted her right ankle after stepping onto what appeared to be solid ground while walking onto her back patio to check the mail.

“I went down, and as I tried to catch myself, I wrenched my left knee,” she said. “I had to wear a foot brace.”

The following year, former property manager Soledad Estrada warned tenants about sinkholes in a February 2022 notice:

“Dear Tenants,

The property is experiencing sink holes in the lawn and rock areas throughout the property. We ask you not to walk on lawns or rock areas. These sink holes come from excessive rain, watering, or irrigation problems. We have had them over 25 feet deep. You will need to take your assistive animal on walks adjacent to the lawn areas to be relieved.”

Johnson said her apartment frequently pops, cracks and bangs — noises she said go beyond normal settling or temperature shifts. She described the sounds as frightening and said she often wonders whether a loud bang means she’s about to lose part of her home.

Umatilla City Manager David Stockdale said the city was aware that there was a sinkhole in the area, but emphasized that it was not on city property and did not involve city infrastructure.

“It’s a private property concern,” Stockdale said, involving private infrastructure and connections. “ We’re not aware of any, water breach or sewer breach or anything like that, so if there’s sink holes there, the private property owner’s going to be responsible for making those repairs.”

Stockdale said the city would only get involved if a water breach extended beyond the property and affected city infrastructure.

In the meantime, property management and maintenance crews have patched the holes with concrete and dirt and plan to bring in a surveyor to assess the situation, Johnson said.

The East Oregonian contacted the property manager, Judie Gonzalez, who referred questions to the corporate office, Ad-West Realty Services. The company did not immediately respond to the request for comment.