Brad Pitt's housing foundation considers legal action over hurricane homes
Brad Pitt and the leaders of his nonprofit organization, Make It Right, are considering legal action over claims rotting wood was supplied to rebuild homes in New Orleans, Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The Inglourious Basterds star founded the group to aid in the environmentally friendly rebuilding of the city's Lower 9th Ward after the deadly hurricane left the neighborhood in tatters in 2005.
Now some of the glass-infused wood used to build the houses has
allegedly started to rot, despite a 40-year guarantee of its
durability.
Make It Right spokeswoman Taylor Royles tells New Orleans' The
Advocate magazine they will be replacing all of the wood over the
next six months, even on the homes that have not shown signs of
decay, costing the organization about $150,000 .
Royles insists they are considering legal action to recoup the
cash, stating, "We are evaluating our rights under the law and
under the product warranty.
"We hope to have a candid discussion with the company and have
asked them to put their insurance carrier on notice. We prefer to
resolve this short of litigation, but we are prepared to pursue all
legal remedies if necessary."
Pitt adds in a statement: "Make It Right is ambitious and tries new
things all the time in order to make our homes better. Where we
find innovative products that didn't perform, we move quickly to
correct these things for our homeowners."
The actor founded Make it Right in 2007 and has helped build 87 out
of a committed 150 homes in the neighborhood.