Joe Montana and 60 neighbors sue city of San Francisco after sewage flooded their homes
Residents of the Marina Boulevard area allege that the city was aware of the sewer and storm drainage problems.
Famed former 49ers quarterback Joe Montana is suing the city of San Francisco along with 60 other Marine District residents after their homes were flooded with sewage after a storm.
The four-time Super Bowl winner and his wealthy neighbors filed the lawsuit in San Francisco County Superior Court after the city's most expensive neighborhood was filled with fecal water on Dec. 31, 2022.
The plaintiffs allege that the city could have avoided the flooding if it had repaired and improved its wastewater facilities. "For many years, the city has had actual and constructive knowledge that the sewage and storm drainage system in and around the [Marina Boulevard area] cannot sufficiently handle anticipated conditions and rain events," the lawsuit states, noting that the system routinely saturates, overflows and floods impregnating soils, walls and floors with highly polluted and toxic water, according to Fox News.
The residents' lawyer, Khaldoun Baghdadi, stressed that the neighbors relied on the city to maintain the sewage infrastructure and even paid for it, so now the city should compensate the residents for the damages caused by the sewage floods.
Meanwhile, Jen Kwart, spokeswoman for the City Attorney's Office, says the unprecedented storm that hit San Francisco was responsible for the flooding.
"It was the strongest storm to hit San Francisco in more than 170 years. The storm, and not the city’s infrastructure, was responsible for widespread flooding throughout the city. We are reviewing the complaint and will respond in court," she said.