Charlotte woman sues city after sewage floods home, leaving her homeless

CHARLOTTE — Stephanie Walker says she has been living a nightmare. Her north Charlotte house and belongings were damaged after it was flooded with several inches of sewage.

“Nervous wreck. Migraine headaches,” she said. “I wouldn’t wish that situation on anyone.”

She’s now suing the city of Charlotte.

Channel 9 first reported on Walker’s situation last year.

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At the time, the city of Charlotte had a voluntary sewer backup program to help Charlotte Water customers without insurance coverage, but the cap was $15,000. The amount was established when the program started in 1992.

After Channel 9′s report aired, the city offered Walker $45,000 on the condition she wouldn’t seek more money.

However, her attorney, Shane Perry, says her actual expenses are much higher and that she has ongoing problems from the sewage in her home. Court documents show he warned the city about all of this.

Perry wrote in court documents about the waiver of her rights, asking, “How is this fair? She lost her furniture in this incident. When her house is restored, she literally has no furniture to move into the house. Do you suggest she sleep on the floor?”

The contractor wouldn’t start cleanup or repairs without payment. Walker didn’t have money for that without signing the city’s deal.

According to court documents, Perry wrote to the city last August, “Ms. Walker is losing her housing and will be sleeping in her car. She has no other options, and she has no choice but to sign this release out of desperation. She’s in her late 70s and won’t last long living in her car.”

When Walker signed the release, she added, “I’m homeless and I don’t have another choice.” The city made her sign another release.

Walker says the $45,000 went straight to the contractor. She’s fighting now for damages to property, time lost from her home, expenses, and emotional distress.

Walker says she can’t believe how this situation has been handled and that she must fight the city to live in a comfortable environment.

“I want to be able to enjoy a restored house, nice furniture, not extravagant but live in comfort,” she said.

Walker’s sewage problems continue.

There was a problem with the backflow preventer the city installed after that first round of problems, which caused her toilet to overflow again, Perry says in court documents from earlier this year. She was told by the contractor she can’t flush paper products down the toilet.

The city did not respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

VIDEO: Woman left searching for answers after raw sewage floods her home