Jimmy Carter’s housing scheme row

A model housing estate bankrolled by a raft of Hollywood celebrities, among them Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter, is, according to its residents, falling apart. Fairway Oaks was built by volunteers - even the former US president, Jimmy Carter, put in a few days toil - on wasteland in northern Florida eight years ago to provide homes for the socially needy. However, the tenants have now ganged together to bring a legal action against the charity behind the development, Habitat for Humanity, claiming that the homes are unfit to live in.

The residents say that the properties are riddled with cockroaches and mildew. April Charney, a lawyer representing many of the 85 homeowners, believes this is down to the fact the estate was built on a rubbish dump, something that was not made public at the time.

Other complaints include cracking walls and rotting door frames that let in rats and ants. One man pulled up his floorboards to find rubbish 5ft deep under his kitchen. "The intentions are good, but when the politicians and big-shot stars have left, we're stuck with the consequences," said one resident.

However, not all the Fairway Oaks tenants are unhappy. One, Diennal Fields, said many of the problems were down to people not looking after their homes: "It's simple stuff: if there is mildew, don't get a lawyer, get a bottle of bleach."

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