One California city is suing a growing number of residents, businesses and victims over flooding

"The question of who bears responsibility for the damage from catastrophic flooding in January 2024 continues to play out in complex litigation with the city of San Diego continuing to argue that local residents and companies should have done more to maintain storm channels. The city has now filed more than 20 cross-complaints against more than a dozen parties, including at least two flood victims, maintaining that they were responsible for drainage on their properties or took steps that could have increased storm runoff."

"These third parties either own, maintain or control private drainage facilities that connect into the city's infrastructure or they have otherwise obstructed the city's facilities or developed their property in such a way as to overwhelm the city's existing infrastructure, the City Attorney's Office said. The accusations come in response to a wave of litigation that the city of San Diego in particular has faced from hundreds of people ever since stormwater overwhelmed city infrastructure early last year."

San Diego filed more than 20 cross-complaints against over a dozen parties, including at least two flood victims, alleging responsibility for drainage or actions that increased storm runoff. The complaints target private owners who own, maintain, or control drainage facilities connected to municipal infrastructure and those accused of obstructing or developing property in ways that overwhelmed city systems. More than 1,500 people filed 53 lawsuits claiming the city's failure to maintain storm channels caused catastrophic flooding that displaced thousands, mainly in underserved Chollas Creek neighborhoods. The La Mesa-Spring Valley School District also filed a cross-complaint seeking liability from residents and the county. Cross-complaints seek contribution if a defendant bears any liability.

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