Flooding Is Not a Weather Problem. It Is a Government Accountability Problem

Every time a major storm hits Yonkers, the same thing happens. Streets flood. Basements take on water. Families spend hours cleaning up damage that never should have happened. And then the storm passes, officials issue statements, and nothing changes before the next one.

I have stood on flooded streets in District 16 and said what the people living on those streets have been saying for years: this is not acceptable and it is not inevitable.

Westchester County actually passed a Flood Disclosure Law requiring landlords to disclose flood history to prospective tenants. That is a good step. It acknowledges what residents already know. But disclosure is not mitigation. Telling someone their apartment floods is not the same as fixing the problem that causes flooding.

The Warburton Avenue corridor has seen flooding damage that has threatened homes and property for years. I have spoken with families there who feel forgotten. They were told help was coming. They are still waiting.

Here is what county government can actually do. The Board of Legislators controls the county capital budget. That budget funds major infrastructure projects including drainage improvements and flood mitigation systems. The county can also coordinate with state and federal agencies to secure grant funding specifically for flood resilience. These resources exist. The question is whether anyone is fighting to bring them to District 16.

The 2026 county capital budget is $604 million. That is significant money. What portion is committed to flood mitigation in Yonkers? What is the timeline on drainage improvements in the areas most affected? Who is accountable when promises are made and not delivered?

These are questions I will be asking every single day as your county legislator. The families on those streets deserve answers. And they deserve action before the next storm hits.

Watch Dan address the flooding crisis: [Yonkers Flooding Crisis Video]

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