California Residents return to flood-damaged storage units

Almost three weeks ago, flash floods inundated homes and overturned cars in San Diego as torrential rain swept through a large swath of the U.S. Now, returning residents are cleaning up the mess left behind and discovering that many of their belongings in self-storage didn't weather the storm.

In Spring Valley, hundreds of storage units with personal belongings and keepsakes were damaged. "We had a lot of memories... my daughter's crib, VHS tapes from my childhood, equipment for my t-shirt business," Vicente Corona, a three-year tenant with a storage unit on Quarry Road, stated.  His unit was one of around 300 impacted by the storm within the facility. "Everything was a mess. There was mold, leaves, mud all over the place." 

Kristine Alessio with Quarry Self Storage said many tenants has been storing items that they would sell at a nearby swap meet. "That's how they make their living, and so it's really been a terrible thing," she said, adding that the business would be offering up to $100 off tenants' rent for the next month.

While the amount of flooding on January 22nd was rare, every time there's heavy rain, Quarry Road becomes impassable. In response, the county plans to build an elevated bridge that it says will help solve the issue.

"Another thing is the roadway is going to be straightened out. It will be a much safer roadway. There's going to be sidewalks," Jim Custeau, a member of the Spring Valley Community Planning Group, told media outlets. 

But not everyone is for the plan. "It's kind of like putting a bandaid on a gunshot wound. It does nothing to alleviate the flooding," Alessio said.

Custeau disagrees. "I feel that it's quite the opposite. Once the bridge is built, the water will be able to flow more freely," he said.

The county said construction of the bridge is expected to begin in 2026.