‘This Is Racism’: Small Black Alabama Town Accuses State of ‘Intentionally’ Flooding Their Community, Causing Homes to ‘Sink’ to Force Them Off Property, Distraught Resident Says

When it rains in Shiloh, a small, predominantly Black community in Coffee County in southeastern Alabama, misery follows. It’s been that way since 2018, when work began on the expansion of U.S. 84 from two lanes to four. Flooding is a constant, leading to persistent issues with septic tank overflows as well as an invasion of snakes — primarily water moccasins — rats and mosquitoes. Residents are struggling to keep up with rising homeowner’s insurance brought on by the flooding; many homes have gone unrepaired. Alabama Black residents meet with top transportation officials including Pete Buttigieg to share grievances over unfair treatment by the state of Alabama. (Credit: Video Screengrab ABC News) “Homes are sinking. Houses are cracking,” community resident Timothy Williams told ABC News. He said the town was put into “a bowl” that has damaged everything in its path, wiping away generational wealth. Two years ago, Shiloh’s Black residents filed a civil rights complaint with the federal government alleging unfair treatment. Earlier this month, the feds wrapped up their investigation announcing a settlement with the Alabama Department of Transportation to erect a drainage system to curb the flooding, “a first step toward addressing broader needs of the community,”...