WAUKESHA, Wis. — The owners of the Horizon West Condominiums are continuing to fight for financial help after a federal court ruled against them.

Last year, the City of Waukesha forced the condo owners out because of structural damage to the building. The condo owners filed a class action lawsuit against Travelers Insurance, the company they paid to insure the building, to help pay for their losses.

However, Travelers Insurance argued it was not liable for the damages.

The insurance company claimed the condo’s homeowners association already knew that parts of the building were unstable before their policy became effective. The judge agreed.

Laurel Peterson is still devastated she lost the condo she called home for two years. She said the federal court ruling doesn’t make it easier.

“The first thing is we, as unit owners, had a mortgage. We are still responsible for that mortgage,” Peterson said. “People who had a lot of equity in their condo have completely lost that, and then on top of that we are expected to pay for the demolition of the building.” 

Peterson said homeowners plan to appeal the federal court’s decision.

“It’s financially debilitating that we really have no choice but to keep fighting because we don’t have tens of thousands of dollars in cash laying around to pay for the demolition and to pay off any mortgages,” Peterson explained.

Patricia Esposito lived at Horizon West for five years with her husband. She said it’s been difficult. Her husband came out of retirement to help pay their condo mortgage, a new place to live and to raze the building.

Esposito said they shouldn’t be liable for something they had no control over.

​“We believe we are in the right,” Esposito said. “We believe Traveler’s Insurance was wrong. They took our money for years and they owe us something. The City of Waukesha owes us something.”

Peterson believes those who live in similar older condos could also find themselves in the same situation.

“These types of things are going to start coming up more and more and it’s not right. It shouldn’t all fall on the owners who had no idea that this could happen,” Peterson argued.

A GoFundMe page has been started to help the Horizon West condominium owners. 

The City of Waukesha has not made a comment in response to the ruling.