SARASOTA, Fla. — Homeowners living in the Laurel Meadows subdivision are suing Sarasota County after their homes flooded during Tropical Storm Debby.
Attorney Steven Hutton filed the civil lawsuit on behalf of 56 homeowners.
WATCH: Laurel Meadows homeowners sue Sarasota County over flooding from Tropical Storm Debby in 2024
Wayne Cates is one of the homeowners listed in the lawsuit.
He said he had 18 inches of water inside his home after Tropical Storm Debby.
"Who can prepare for something like that?" said Cates.
Cates said he had finished remodeling his home when the flooding occurred in August of 2024.
"Remodeled the whole house, all new furniture, the beds had not even been slept in yet, so we lost everything. We lost all the furniture, the drywall had to go five feet up, all the walls had to be taken out and treated. The whole place had to be treated for mold and then tested for mold before we could put stuff back," he recalled.
He said nearly all the homes in Laurel Meadows flooded. He said his home is located in Flood Zone X.
The lawsuit against Sarasota County was filed on March 17, 2026. It alleges the homes within the subdivision had never suffered interior flood intrusion as a result of major storm events, prior to August 4, 2024.
The lawsuit alleges a breach of the Cow Pen Slough dike caused the flooding within the neighborhood. The lawsuit states it's the county's responsibility to maintain Cow Pen Slough and the surrounding infrastructure.
Steven Hutton is the attorney representing the homeowners.
"We learned after the fact through LIDAR measurements that there had been a breach in that dike since 2018, and we have an email from the county that indicates certain county employees have said that breach or low spot in the dike has been there for decades," said Steven Hutton, attorney.
Hutton said Debby brought record rainfall.
"The water came through the breach in the dike, and we know that for a fact because we have proof of that, went into the Laurel Meadows neighborhoods and flooded all or substantially all of the homes," said Hutton.
Cates said he dipped into his retirement fund to repair his home. He said other neighbors have not been able to afford the repairs.
"I couldn’t believe it, and people like my next-door neighbor have been here for 21 years, and he said, you know, we’ve never had a problem like this. Something is drastically wrong," said Cates.
Tampa Bay 28 reached out to Sarasota County. A spokesperson said, "Sarasota County does not comment on pending or active litigation."
Hutton said the case could go to a trial in approximately 18 months.
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