GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Some Grand Rapids Residents are upset after receiving a letter from the City of Grand Rapids saying the city will not help financially after a water main break back in June.
Tom Schurino and Scott Hall received the letter on Friday, after waiting for weeks to hear from the city.
Their homes were impacted by the break back in June that caused gallons of water to flood homes near Philadelphia Avenue and Adams Street.
“I mean, I was really pissed off. I mean, extremely angry when I got this letter,” said Schurino.
"That's when our mail comes on Friday, telling you that long story short, you're out of luck. We have immunity. We don't have to pay you. Case closed. Game over,” said Hall.
In the letter mailed on Friday, city officials said the city isn't liable to pay for the damage because of the governmental tort liability act.
The act says the city has statutory immunity from certain things that cause property damage, and this water main break falls into this category.
Neighbors said they are planning to speak up at the upcoming commissioners meeting to voice their concerns.
We're not going to sit back, you know, I'm thinking, you know, all of us neighbors here, we might be crazy, but we ain't stupid, and we're not going to sit here and play victim,” said Schurino.
Along with the lack of financial help, neighbors said the city has not communicated to residents well.
They told 13 ON YOUR SIDE that no one from the city communicated with neighbors after the water main break, during the weeks they waited for financial help and after the letter was mailed.
13 ON YOUR SIDE has requested information under the Freedom of Information Act, to find out how many homes were damaged and how much the damage costs. 13 ON YOUR SIDE had not yet received any information regarding our request as of the time this story was published.