Yonkers neighborhood demands action against flooding in streets, homes
Yonkers residents who live in the Greystone neighborhood say the heavy rain causes dangerous flooding in people’s homes and in the street.
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Some Yonkers residents who live in the Greystone neighborhood say they're living in fear every time it rains. They say flooding is threatening their homes and the neighborhood.
"It's been a problem since I moved in 10 years ago," says resident Elliot Scott. "It's definitely gotten worse.”
"When it rains, let's say 2 inches in five hours, like it did the other day, it's not a problem. When it rains, 2 inches in 15 minutes, that's when we have the problem," says resident Andrew Api.
They say the heavy rain causes dangerous flooding in people’s homes and in the street.
"My retaining walls have collapsed a few times. My pool is filled up with mud," says Api.
"It floods people's backyards. It causes sinkholes and that sort of thing. So my, I'm just concerned that if it's only going to get worse,” says Scott.
Now, they want something done about it.
"It's affecting the people all the way straight down the hill, right down into the train," says Yonkers City Councilman Anthony Merante.
Merante says the city requires a $250,000 engineering study before addressing the problem. But he says there's no time for the study.
He wants the Yonkers City Administration to act now, saying the flooding is a big concern after a mudslide triggered by heavy rain caused the collapse of Peterson Tool Rental earlier this year.
"It's going into their homes. It's flooding the streets. Traffic is a mess," says Merante. "These folks can't be caught with a large repair bill, as Peterson Tool did up on Saw Mill River Road.”
A City Hall spokesperson sent News 12 a statement saying they're working with state and federal partners since 2021 to find solutions.
"Part of the solution includes improved drainage along Warburton Avenue and stabilization of mudslide prone areas. We welcome Councilman Merante to the table to help deliver feedback to improve the quality of life for our residents," the spokesperson said in a statement.
