Published
February 12, 2026
Updated
August 1, 2026
The $1.2 million Ohio settlement covers certain current owners of homes allegedly built with under-ventilated attics. Claims are closed, final judgment was entered, and the related appeal was dismissed.
Current Status
The February 16, 2026 claim deadline has passed. Court records posted by the administrator state that final judgment approved the settlement and dismissed the underlying actions, that the time to appeal expired without a new appeal, and that the parties obtained dismissal of the related pending appeal on April 8, 2026. The administrator has not posted a public payment-completion notice.StatusFinal Judgment; Related Appeal Dismissed
Claim DeadlineFebruary 16, 2026 — Passed
Settlement Fund$1.2 Million
Historical ProofNotice ID, PIN, and Ownership Attestation
What Was the Trinity and Homewood Settlement About?
Two Ohio lawsuits alleged that Trinity Homebuilders and Homewood Corporation built homes with attic ventilation that did not meet applicable requirements and that the under-ventilation caused or risked property damage. The claims included breach of contract and warranty, negligence, breach of the duty to construct in a workmanlike manner, and alleged violations of Ohio’s Home Construction Service Suppliers Act. Additional theories were asserted in the Homewood case. Both builders denied wrongdoing and liability, and the court did not decide the allegations at trial.Why Attic Ventilation Matters
Attic ventilation is intended to move heat and moisture out of the roof assembly. Inadequate ventilation can contribute to moisture accumulation, mold or mildew, deterioration of roof decking and wood, shortened shingle life, ice dams in cold weather, and excessive summer heat. Those general risks explain the theory behind the lawsuits, but they do not prove that every home in the class has damage or that every roof problem was caused by ventilation. Individual conditions can vary by design, maintenance, later alterations, weather, and roof replacement history.Who Was in the Trinity Class?
The Trinity class generally covered current owners of homes that Trinity Homebuilders built and sold from January 1, 2009 through March 7, 2018 in Franklin, Licking, Delaware, Fairfield, or Union County, Ohio. Homes acquired through Trinity’s buy-back program that had originally been built by another builder were excluded. Current ownership mattered because the settlement award followed the qualifying home rather than automatically going to a former owner.Who Was in the Homewood Class?
The Homewood class generally covered current owners of homes that Homewood Corporation built from January 1, 1999 through March 7, 2018 in the same five Ohio counties. The notice excluded homes whose original roof had been replaced, homes that had gone through foreclosure, and homes acquired through a Homewood buy-back program if another builder originally constructed them. The administrator’s class lists and records controlled final eligibility.What Did the $1.2 Million Fund Provide?
The builders created a $1.2 million common fund. Approved class-administration costs, attorney fees and expenses, and court-approved incentive awards are deducted from that amount. The remaining net fund is divided pro rata among authorized claimants. A pro rata structure means that the final payment depends on the number of valid claims and approved deductions; the settlement did not promise every homeowner a fixed amount or reimbursement of the full cost of roof work.How Did the Historical Claim Process Work?
A qualifying current owner had to submit a claim online or by mail by February 16, 2026. The online system used the Notice ID and PIN from the mailed notice. Claimants confirmed current ownership and the applicable class information; Homewood claimants also had to address the original-roof and foreclosure exclusions. A person who bought or sold a covered property near the claims period had to provide accurate ownership and closing information because the current owner determined who could receive the award.Was Separate Damage Documentation Required?
The settlement was not structured as reimbursement for itemized repair bills, and the basic claim did not require a claimant to prove a dollar amount of roof damage. Eligibility depended on the covered property, current ownership, class definition, and a valid claim. That differs from saying no proof existed at all: the notice credentials, ownership information, and required attestations supported the submission, and the administrator could verify the property against its lists.What Happened If an Owner Did Nothing?
A class member who did not submit a timely claim received no share of the cash fund but remained bound by the settlement release unless they had timely opted out. The same February 16, 2026 date applied to claims, exclusions, and objections. The deadline is over, so neither the old online claim link nor this page creates a late filing opportunity.What Happened After the Fairness Hearing?
The court scheduled the final fairness hearing for March 6, 2026. Later court records posted on the official documents page state that final judgment approved the class settlement and dismissed the underlying action with prejudice. In an April 8 joint appellate filing, the parties also stated that the time to appeal the final judgment had expired without an appeal. The appellate court granted their motion and dismissed the older related appeal that same day.What Is the Current Payment Stage?
The settlement agreement contemplated payments after the final settlement date, but the administrator’s homepage has not added a distribution date, payment amount, or completion notice. Final judgment and expiration of the appeal period remove important legal contingencies, yet they do not prove that every authorized claimant has received a check. The careful current description is final and effective with public payment completion unconfirmed.What Should Authorized Claimants Do?
Authorized claimants should keep their claim confirmation, notice credentials, proof of ownership at the relevant time, and any administrator correspondence. The official website is the source for any payment or address-update announcement. OpenClassActions is not the administrator and cannot accept property records, decide whether a roof qualifies, calculate a pro rata share, or reissue a payment.Case Background
The settlement resolves Trinka v. Trinity Home Builders, LLC, Case No. 18 CV 002023, and Tassi v. Homewood Corporation, Case No. 20 CV 003361, in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. The cases were coordinated for settlement purposes but retained separate class definitions reflecting the two builders and different construction periods. The April 2026 appellate dismissal concerned the earlier Trinity appeal and did not reopen claims.Official Information
Review the latest information on the official Trinity and Homewood settlement website website.
Cases
Trinka v. Trinity Home Builders; Tassi v. Homewood Corporation
Case Numbers
18 CV 002023 and 20 CV 003361
Court
Court of Common Pleas, Franklin County, Ohio
Settlement Fund
$1.2 million
Claim Deadline
February 16, 2026
Fairness Hearing
March 6, 2026
Related Appeal Dismissed
April 8, 2026
Official Website
official Trinity and Homewood settlement website
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