(WSVN) - Recent heavy rains combined with Tropical Storm Eta have worsened flooding problems for homeowners in two South Florida cities. Every time it rains, it pours. The Nightteam’s Karen Hensel with this 7 Investigates.
Miriam Anselem says this is her backyard when it rains.
Miriam Anselem, homeowner: “Every time there is some rainfall or a little bit of a storm, we end up with lakefront property that we’re really not interested in.”
Miriam and her neighbors say water runoff from a new development being built next to them is partially to blame.
Kurt Larson, homeowner: “As it flows down the hill, right there you can see some of the wash outs. There’s a major one there.”
Their homes are in Dania Beach. The new development is in the City of Hollywood.
A small trailer park used to be here.
Miriam Anselem: “They had a very large lake that would retain the water.”
The Dania Beach homes had always drained into that lake, but neighbors say when the developer built the new homes, he shrunk the size of the water retaining lake.
They say he also changed how storm runoff flows, which is when the floods started.
Miriam Anselem: “It’s Friday, right now — Oct. 16 at 5 p.m. — literally has rained only 10 minutes, and as you can see, water is already coming through into our yard. Today is Oct. 19. It’s Oct. 21. This is our yard once again.”
Neighbors documented the floods for the last month, but they have known since 2014 this would happen.
That’s when they hired an engineer to address their concerns with the developer.
He sent this letter saying: “The new development will now cause all of the runoff from the rear yards of the homes … to be retained on the property … potentially creating drainage issues for other properties west,” meaning the new homes being built.
Neighbor: “We told him before he ever turned a shovel of dirt over there exactly what was going to happen. Now, it’s happening.”
And it’s not just the homes that are being affected.
Miriam Anselem: “They had to detour the street because cars can’t even pass through over there.”
The developer did not return our calls but has proposed putting a retaining wall here to stop the water. The City of Hollywood is reviewing the permits now, but neighbors here say the permitting process needs to be sped up before permanent damage is done to their homes.
Miriam Anselem: “This is not an aggravation. Basically, it has become a nightmare for us.”
CONTACT 7INVESTIGATES:
305-627-CLUE
954-921-CLUE
clue@wsvn.com
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.