Deerfield Beach residents pressed city leaders at a City Commission meeting Tuesday night, asking for answers and long-term fixes after weekend flooding damaged homes and forced families out.
Jillian Lerner said her home flooded Saturday night, hours after she had been celebrating her son’s 6th birthday. “Every single room got touched,” she said. Her family had already been out of the house for four months after a flood in October 2025, and they had only moved back in February with new furniture. Lerner said her son has now lived through three floods and her daughter through two.
City officials acknowledged the frustration but warned that the problem will not be solved quickly. Deputy City Manager Eric Power said many homes in affected areas sit below street and sea level. Some parts of the city received more than 8 inches of rain over the weekend. “We’re seeing a new normal here in South Florida where we’re having higher rain events,” Power said.
Power said the city approved a stormwater master plan in 2021 and added underground stormwater capacity in 2023. He said even a solution reached today could take several years to fully take effect. Mayor Todd Drosky proposed additional mobile pumps, an outside study and deep-water injection wells.
Some residents said they believe not enough has been done. Meanwhile, Sam Perks, a Deerfield Beach hotel general manager, said he will offer seven to 10 free rooms to displaced families right away, with more expected within days. He said he is paying for them personally.
The city is also offering eligible homeowners up to $5,000 in reimbursements for flood barriers meant to protect homes from future flooding.
