As another storm is set to dump inches of rain in the Bay Area, those who have homes and businesses in potential flood zones are on high alert.
That includes a San Francisco neighborhood that was underwater a couple of years ago when a series or atmospheric rivers hit Northern California.
In January of 2023, 14th Street between Harrison and Folsom turned into a river with people floating on the water, just to get to dry ground.
“Basically, the water raises up to about your knees,” said Matthew Coric, the owner of Pink Onion. “Maybe your hips.”
Coric’s business was hit hard as the flooding destroyed almost everything inside.
“Last time, about a year and a half ago, our chairs and tables were floating in the water,” he said. “Our backyard which is 7 feet down was a pool. There was no relief.”
The problem was that piles of trash on the street that clogged the storm drains, anything from big garbage bags to hypodermic needles. As this latest storm rolls in, Coric knows it’s up to him and his neighbors to keep the streets clean.
“Basically we have to be the ones to keep an eye on the manhole covers,” he said. “Make sure they’re staying clean. Cause as soon as one gets filled that’s basically the end of it — fast.”
In 2023, the storm damage forced Pink Onion to close for two weeks. Coric said he stopped waiting for the City of San Francisco to take proactive steps to clear storm drains.
“You want the city to do more, so I don’t have to worry about It,” Coric said. “I don’t want to be put there with needles floating around, trying to scrape out the drains. I don’t want to do that, but I also don’t want to close for two weeks.”
Coric is curious to see if new leadership at city hall will change the way the city handles public works issues. We reached out to San Francisco Public Works for comment but have not heard back.