Residents urge sewer repairs as council moves to apply for CDBG disaster-recovery funding
April 29, 2026 | Warren City, Macomb County, Michigan
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Warren City Council opened a public hearing April 28 to take comments on a proposed application to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for community development block grant (CDBG) disaster-recovery funds tied to the federally recognized August 2023 storm event.
City staff summarized two proposed projects to be included in the application: construction of a relief sewer in Section 2 and replacement of sanitary and storm mains on Jackson and Reard avenues.
Several Section 2 residents provided detailed testimony about recurring flooding and sewer backups. Rose Weiss told council she surveyed five streets and found “114 homes had experienced between two to five floods and sewer backups in the past 11 years,” and described a 2014 event when “a two-foot geyser of sewer water shoot up from my floor drain,” leaving “wall-to-wall contaminated water” in her basement. John Isis described losing finished basement contents in 2014 after 30–36 inches of water and noted repeated smaller floods that still cause substantial cleanup costs.
Why it matters: Residents said these events are happening more frequently with less rainfall, causing repeated damage, health risks, and rising insurance claims for homeowners. They urged the council to pursue available federal funds to correct drainage and sewer capacity issues.
Council action: After public comment, a motion to receive and file the public hearing comments and forward them to the CDBG program carried by roll call. City staff said the council’s next step is to formally submit the application and pursue eligible projects.
What remains unclear: The transcript records residents’ estimates of affected homes and flood counts as reported testimony; precise engineering scopes, cost estimates and timelines for construction were not provided at the hearing and will be part of the application and project development process.
The council voted to receive and file the comments and forward them with the city’s application materials.
City staff summarized two proposed projects to be included in the application: construction of a relief sewer in Section 2 and replacement of sanitary and storm mains on Jackson and Reard avenues.
Several Section 2 residents provided detailed testimony about recurring flooding and sewer backups. Rose Weiss told council she surveyed five streets and found “114 homes had experienced between two to five floods and sewer backups in the past 11 years,” and described a 2014 event when “a two-foot geyser of sewer water shoot up from my floor drain,” leaving “wall-to-wall contaminated water” in her basement. John Isis described losing finished basement contents in 2014 after 30–36 inches of water and noted repeated smaller floods that still cause substantial cleanup costs.
Why it matters: Residents said these events are happening more frequently with less rainfall, causing repeated damage, health risks, and rising insurance claims for homeowners. They urged the council to pursue available federal funds to correct drainage and sewer capacity issues.
Council action: After public comment, a motion to receive and file the public hearing comments and forward them to the CDBG program carried by roll call. City staff said the council’s next step is to formally submit the application and pursue eligible projects.
What remains unclear: The transcript records residents’ estimates of affected homes and flood counts as reported testimony; precise engineering scopes, cost estimates and timelines for construction were not provided at the hearing and will be part of the application and project development process.
The council voted to receive and file the comments and forward them with the city’s application materials.
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