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AT&T Fiber Upgrade Leaves Mess In Dixon Neighborhood

9/5 UPDATE: A spokesman for AT&T reached out to CBS13 after the story aired and provided this statement:

As we work to expand and enhance our fiber network to deliver ultra-high speeds to the Dixon area, our goal is to minimize the effect on residents as much as possible. Unfortunately part of this project was not completed to our standards and we are working to fix it. - Leland Kim

https://twitter.com/CBSSacramento/status/1037491100515102720

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DIXON (CBS13) — A neighborhood in Dixon has turned into a disaster zone as AT&T installs it's latest technology. For the past five months, yards have been torn up as fiber optic infrastructure is placed underground and now homeowners are wondering who's going to fix it.

"They've ruined our front yard," said Dixon homeowner Natalie Avina.

It's the first glimpse into their biggest investment.

"You know we take pride in our homes," said Avina. "You don't want to come home and see this."

But from lawns to sidewalks, lot after lot in Dixon's Valley Glenn neighborhood have been turned upside down.

"Everything's been dug up," said Avina.

Homeowner Heather Craig said, "They put concrete instead of dirt back underneath our grass, so it's dying."

In May, an AT&T contractor started installing underground infrastructure for fiber optic cable.  Avina- who has three young children- says on top of aesthetic damage, crews leave heavy machinery parked overnight and just two weeks ago broke a gas line causing the entire street to evacuate.

"It's just the whole construction part of things, the lack of communications, the disrespect to our home."

Dixon City Councilman Devon Minnema lives in the area and has been surveying the damage. He says he's reached out to AT&T and expects the company to pay for full repairs.

"I think that in the haste to get these optic lines put in, the vetting wasn't fully done and I'm hoping that this was a learning experience for AT&T," said Minnema.

Homeowners are still unsure about when this mess will all be cleaned up.  CBS13 reached out to AT&T and did not receive a response.

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