BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — After several days of rain in Palm Beach County, a community in Boynton Beach was flooded Friday.
There was sunshine after the rain Friday at the Boynton Estates community. However, there was also flooding along Southwest Fourth Avenue.
"Every time it rains hard, [the neighborhood floods]. Thank God we haven't had any bad hurricanes," said resident Christopher Aiello.
"Last time we had a rain, two weeks the water sat there," said fellow neighbor Tyrone Harvey.
Harvey has lived in the Boynton Estates for nine years, and that's one thing he says hasn't changed.
"It's just frustrating," he said.
For those without savings or insurance, the flooding isn't just inconvenient, it is scary.
"With the water damage, you get the mold," Harvey said. "You got to get the drywall taken out; who can afford it? Right now, people not working now."
Those who aren't worried about their pockets are concerned about their health.
"I'm suffering from cancer. I just had a stem cell placement done," Harvey said. "I can't have these germs."
Three weeks ago, the city of Boynton Beach sent a letter explaining part of the flooding is being made worse by poorly maintained drains owned by the Florida Department of Transportation.
"They didn't do anything to fix it except just pump it," said Aiello.
We reached out to the city of Boynton Beach and were told FDOT has since cleaned up those drains.
But with even more rain, a spokesperson at the city manager's office said there is another problem.
Canals owned by the South Florida Water Management District are close to full and now backing up ditches maintained by the city, which is backing up neighborhoods like Boynton Estates.
According to the city manager's office, opening the canals' gates may cause king tides and similar flooding, which these homeowners wouldn't wish upon anyone.
"I want the city to come out and do something, tell us something, what kind of plan they have. We can't keep living like this," Harvey said.
It is a flooded neighborhood whose residents' hopes have been left high and dry.
