SAN DIEGO — Nearly eight months after devastating flooding in southeast San Diego, the city says it's making progress in clearing out flood channels. Devastating floodwaters destroyed homes and cars in Southcrest on Jan. 22 and some residents are still recovering.
"The one house on the corner behind these units destroyed. They cannot return," said Pamela Gonzalez, she founded a church in Southcrest and manages properties there.
CBS 8 asked her what response she's seen from the city.
"I know the mayor came and walked these areas. Within a day or two there were trucks back there. A lot was chopped down but not removed. It's bamboo so it's extremely invasive and grows very fast very quick so they're filled back with bamboo again," she said.
We talked to other neighbors, like Yul Pierce, whose apartment backs up to a flood channel overgrown with bamboo.
"Once it was over they cleaned the back but it started growing right back but then more trash started coming right back again," he said.
After the January flooding, the city says it performed emergency maintenance on 18 miles of channels and removed more than 9,800 tons of debris. The city says crews are continuing to improve the stormwater channels. Right now, work is being done in Southcrest and recently finished up work in Encanto and the Skyline-Paradise Hills area.
"If it comes to a big rain again I don't wanna wake up again and my truck is underwater again," Pierce said.
Residents say they're glad there's been progress but want to see more done.
"We are concerned the bamboo is there. What happens if we get a storm like that again," Gonzalez said.
The city says Mayor Todd Gloria included more than $8 million in funding this fiscal year to continue maintenance ahead of the rainy season.
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