Residents of the Hawthorn subdivision, outside of Foley, are raising concerns about persistent flooding in their subdivision. County officials say that a property owner’s association is needed to address the issues, but residents argue that’s not the answer.

“The retention ponds and drainage ditches are not adequate for what they’re trying to build here, and we shouldn’t be responsible for it,” said Katherine Lord, a resident of the subdivision.

Lord has lived with her family in the subdivision since 2013. At first, there were no issues, she says, but when new houses were added to the subdivision three or four years ago, she started having issues with flooding. Anytime it rains for more than a few hours, she says, water starts to fill her yard. She keeps sandbags on her porch at all times, in case the water gets close to her house.

After their house flooded during Hurricane Sally in 2020, Lord says that she and her family were displaced for nine months. Her family didn’t have flood insurance, because the subdivision doesn’t sit in a flood zone, so almost all of the expenses were paid for out of pocket, she says.

“They went up two feet and had to rip out the sheetrock,” she says. “We just don’t think it’s fair.”