West Allis residents describe severe flood damage; mayor urges reporting to 2‑1‑1 as emergency declaration continues

Mayor Devine, presiding at the West Allis Common Council meeting, told residents the council’s only formal agenda item tied to the flooding that night was a continuance of the city’s declaration of emergency and urged every affected household to report damage to the Milwaukee County Emergency Management/2‑1‑1 system so the city and county can document losses for possible state or federal assistance.

The nut graf: dozens of residents described collapsed foundation walls, displacement, loss of vehicles and rapidly developing mold conditions in affected neighborhoods. Residents pressed the council for clearer, faster information about resources and said insurance denials and limited local capacity were leaving many without shelter or means to begin repairs.

Multiple speakers described heavy damage and urgent health concerns. Christine Kroubel, a West Allis resident, said debris and standing water at an inherited duplex made her physically ill after a brief entry, and that parts of some homes appeared to be total losses. “It’s unbelievable for even people that had flooding in West Allis to go down these streets and see. It’s very sobering,” Kroubel said. She asked for logs on sewer and drainage maintenance dating back decades to understand whether aging infrastructure played a role.

Several speakers described structural failures. Michelle (last name not specified), who said her basement wall blew out at 3:30 a.m., told the council she is displaced and without a car or house and said insurance companies were providing no immediate help. “What are we supposed to do?” she asked. Sharvonne Carlson, another nearby resident, said on her block alone five houses lost foundation walls and that neighbors were being told insurance would not cover them.

Multiple residents asked for more proactive outreach. Chris McLean, a local business representative, and others urged the city to put a prominent, centralized resource page on the official City of West Allis website with up‑to‑date information on shelter, food, clothing, and emergency aid in addition to 2‑1‑1. Julia Luna and others said many residents lack reliable internet access and would benefit from printed materials and door‑to‑door outreach.

Mayor Devine and council members acknowledged the scale of the damage and reiterated that the city and county were actively collecting data. The mayor told the chamber that as of his remarks about 13 foundation collapses and 58 properties had been reported to 2‑1‑1 — a count he called incomplete — and asked anyone who had not yet reported damage to do so. He said city staff are coordinating daily with engineering, public works, police, fire and public health.

Alderman Marissa Noling (D‑4) — speaking from the dais — praised the speed of the immediate operational response from city and county crews, thanked volunteers and staff working long hours, and asked residents to “look for the helpers” while the city channels support and data collection. Noling and other council members said dumpsters, dehumidifiers and cleanup teams were being deployed and that 2‑1‑1 outreach teams were knocking on doors to collect information.

Residents also asked the council to consider an independent engineering review of drainage and storm infrastructure in the most damaged neighborhoods to determine whether failures of pipes or other systems contributed to the concentrated damage. Multiple commenters referenced rumors that water had been redirected from other sites; council members said investigations were underway and encouraged residents to provide any firsthand accounts to city staff and 2‑1‑1.

The meeting’s public‑participation portion closed after roughly 30 minutes of testimony. Mayor Devine and several aldermen said they would meet with constituents during recess and work to increase on‑the‑ground communication and updates on the city website and social channels.

Ending: The council left the emergency declaration continuance on the published agenda and asked residents to document damage through Milwaukee County’s 2‑1‑1 system to support any request for state or federal assistance. Staff said the city would continue daily coordination with county emergency management and other agencies and encouraged residents needing immediate assistance to contact 2‑1‑1.