SAN DIEGO — Southcrest residents whose homes were devastated by last week's floods came together Tuesday night, sharing resources and demanding action from local leaders.
This comes as yet another atmospheric river threatens to create even more flooding.
As clean-up continues from last week's storm, preparations are already underway for this coming storm on Thursday, as anxiety levels among community members here continue to rise.
"We're not getting explanations," one community member told dozens of other residents. "We don't know what is for what, so we are coming together!"
Tuesday, Southcrest residents banded together, venting their frustrations with the ongoing recovery effort and their fears over the approaching atmospheric river.
"The rain is coming on Thursday," said Minerva Martinez, a member of the La Mesa-Spring Valley School Board. "They're not prepared, they're not prepared."
Among them, is Karina Bryant, who sought out sandbags to try to protect what's left of her home off Acacia Street.
"What else can I lose, you know?" she told CBS 8. "I already lost everything. There is nothing else."
Her home was completely flooded out.
"This is the city's fault," she said, "and now we're stuck with all of these expenses."
Those expenses are estimated at over $70,000, with no hope that her insurance will cover it.
"I don't really have the money to start re-building all my life again," she added tearfully. "All my life savings were invested in this house."
As the rains approach, the city is posting no-parking signs to try to keep the streets cleared for ongoing recovery efforts...
Already, cars have been towed, and while the city says impound fees will be waived for 30 days, some residents here in Southcrest say that's not the case.
"They are charging the owners of the vehicles up to $300 because they're not showing proof of ownership," Martinez-Scott told CBS 8.
In the meantime, Suthcrest resident Mildred Watson, who will soon celebrate 101 years, is determined to move forward. Despite the floodwaters ravaging her home, she's keeping everything in perspective.
"I've been here seventy years," she said. "I lived good and I'm happy!"
Her family is overseeing the clean-up before Thursday's storm.
"That's why I was trying to do what I can today.," said Mildred's great-niece Tisha Allen, "and hopefully we can get out what we can."
Residents like Karina Bryant said that they have no plans to leave their community.
"These are our homes," Bryant said. "We can't just move.... with what resources? Everything we had, it's invested in our house."
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