Printer-friendly version
By Miriam Raftery
January 25, 2024 (San Diego) – Shane Harris, president of the People’s Association of Justice Advocates, held a press conference in the Mountain View community Tuesday to announce plans to file a class action lawsuit against the City of San Diego for “long-standing negligence” in failing to clear flood channels before severe storms. He was joined by residents whose homes flooded along the 100-year flood plain including Encanto, Southcrest and Mountain View.
Residents interested in participating in the class action suit can visit www.pajmovement.org/sandiegoflood.
“The Mayor has failed communities of color in particular along the 100 year floodplain that spans from Logan Heights all the way through Southeastern San Diego,” Harris says,adding that portions of Emerald Hills and areas along the south branches of Chollas Creek ,Paleta and Paradise Valley Creek are also within FEMA-designated 100 or 500 year flood plains. “Many of these residents have lost their homes and most of their personal belongings.” Many, perhaps most of the losses are not covered by insurance.
Mayor Todd Gloria has declared a local emergency due to the storm damage. The city has set up a storm recovery resources website: https://www.sandiego.gov/storm. City crews have begun removing debris and bulky items. Countywide, residents and businesses who experienced flooding Monday can report damage through the County of San Diego’s online survey. If you are a city resident attempting to locate your vehicle as a result of Monday’s storm visit https://www.sandiego.gov/police/services/vehicle-impounds-towing.
But residents with severe impacts say that's not enough.
At the press conference, residents shared their stories of surviving the disaster.
“I was literally on top of my roof. All my neighbors were on their roofs,” said Ashley Manzano, who lives on 38th Street in San Diego’s Shelltown neighborhood. “911 was telling us helicopters were not allowed in this weather....It took hours...We could not escape; the water came real quick and there was no time.” She added, “We’re in the hood. We never expected this to happen.”
In addition to flooded homes, she said., “All my neighbors’ cars, they’re all destroyed...I have PTSD. I couldn’t sleep last night.” She’s angry that the city didn’t take steps to prevent the devastation. ”This situation could’ve been prevented.”
Robert Lopez said he came home from work to see community members outside helping each other. “Inside my place, everything was gone,” he lamented. “My family, kids, everything they have is gone...Some of us don’t even have a place to stay. All my family’s in Florida.”
Rachell Clark, clutching her dog, Bailey, said her renter’s insurance doesn’t cover the damages she suffered. “I didn’t know of the flood risk,” she said, adding that she was never informed that she lived on a 100-year flood plain so never purchased flood insurance. “If we would have known that, we probably would have gotten it if we could.”
Clark said she did reach out to the city about the clogged storm drain. “Last season, this storm drain was cleaned out. This year, it never happened,” she stated.
“The people of the most impoverished, challenged neighborhoods deserve better,” said Harris, who promised to be “Relentless” to assure that the environmental crisis is addressed. “We do have attorneys willing to take this on pro bono,” he noted, adding that currently they are assessing the scope of damages. “Livelihoods are gone. I’ve seen whole homes gone,” he concluded. “The damages are monumental.”
He has also called for San Diego’s mayor and city council to use lease revenue bond funds to help fix the stormwater drainage system—something the county and other cities may wish to emulate.
Harris told ECM his focus is limited to those living along the 100-year flood plane in San Diego, not others who suffered flood damage in unincorporated areas of the county or other cities such as Lemon Grove, Santee, La Mesa or El Cajon, even if storm drains were clogged in some areas.
Harris has called for another measure that could provide some relief to flood victims countywide. Today, he held a press conference to announce a proposal for the state to extend property, personal income and business tax deadlines for all San Diego County residents impacted by the recent storms and flooding.
Recent comments