GREENVILLE, Mich.— Flooding can be a nightmare for any homeowner, and for Bob Allers om Greenville, there doesn't seem to be much he can do to stop it.
Allers owns a property that has flooded several times, the last time in July after a drizzle. His son took cell phone video of water streaming down the hill, through a construction site next to his home, and right into their basement.
“It was a creek coming in here, and all we could do was sit and watch it, because we can’t get anyone to address the problems,” Allers said.
The flooding began, says Allers, when a curb was cut down a few years ago on the lot next to his for construction to allow work on a new house. He says the curb should have never been cut, because it lets water come down the city street and into his yard.
Allers has called the police, the city manager of Greenville, and the construction company, but he has gotten no real results. The city issued a work order to stop the construction, but Allers says stopping the construction is not preventing his basement from flooding.
“The water is high enough that it’s burned out our furnace and our hot water heater,” Allers said. "We have had to replace them."
Allers said every time his basement floods, dirty water comes in from the runoff, resulting in one to two inches of mud in his basement after he clears the water. He said he has been flooded like that at least five times.
FOX 17 called Greenville City Manager George Bosanic, who said he didn’t want to speak on camera. We have confirmed that the city has put a stop order on the construction site next door, and they are taking steps to get the construction company next door to take responsibility, but Allers doesn’t believe this is all his neighbor’s fault. Allers said the curb should have never been cut in the first place.
FOX 17 also called the owner of the construction company, La Fond Properties LLC and went to his home, but we did not get a response.
Bosanic said he has his own video evidence that shows that the rain does not affect the Allers’ home, but he did not want to share that with us for now.
“I have not asked for any money," Allers said. "All we want is for our basement to not be flooded. And that’s the only thing we are asking.”
