Home renovation from hell leaves Ventura woman ‘couch surfing’

A retired elementary school teacher has been couch surfing for more than a year after her home renovation went wrong.

Dinah Braden bought a house in Ventura in late 2015 so she can be closer to her husband who lives a treatment facility for Alzheimer’s.

Braden wanted her kitchen cabinets to be realigned and she says her friend of 18 years suggested hiring her husband to do the contract work. Braden says she gave her friend’s husband about $180,000 after he told her there was much more that needed to be done on the house.

The City of Ventura ended up red-tagging the home declaring it unsafe. A code enforcement officer inspected the home and says the load-bearing walls inside have been “jeopardized.”

Close family friends helped Braden set up a GoFundMe page to save her home.

Reporter Vicky Nguyen will speak to Braden and a family friend who stepped in. Watch her full report tonight at 5 and 6 on NewsChannel 3. Check back for additional content and information.