BROOMFIELD, Colo. — More than 400 homeowners near the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (RMMA) filed a lawsuit against the airport and Jefferson County, alleging the associated noise and lead pollution have hurt their property values.
The lawsuit, filed last week and delivered to the county Wednesday, does not seek a specific dollar amount in damages. It only states that the homeowners deserve “just compensation” for being “substantially deprived of the use and enjoyment of their homes,” citing the process of eminent domain in which governments pay property owners impacted by public actions and projects.
Attorneys who filed the lawsuit declined an interview Wednesday, and several homeowners told our Denver news partner they had been advised to not speak publicly.
Joy Dysart, a realtor and appraiser in Denver, said this has become a growing topic for buyers and sellers as our population grows and aviation traffic increases. She agreed that busier airports can harm the values of nearby homes.
“You can relate it to being next to a busy road. I mean, most of the time, you can’t hide that from buyers,” Dysart said. “It will affect the values. If you put that same house in a little, quiet, HOA suburban neighborhood, and there’s no airport… apples to apples, it’s probably going to sell for a little bit less [near the airport].”
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Dysart said home sales near airports often require buyers to sign documents, acknowledging they are aware of the potential impacts. The lawsuit claims that homes near RMMA have taken longer to sell and have sold below market value.
A spokesperson for Jefferson County told our Denver news partner it would not comment on pending litigation.
