Two additional homeowners file suits against Richland 1 claiming flood damages
Two more lawsuits have been filed against Richland School District 1, after a construction project gone awry has allegedly left homeowners to deal with excessive and unusual flooding in Lower Richland. A total of five complaints have been lodged against the district as of March 2026.
The newest complaints were filed March 3.
A 12-acre swath of land on Caughman Road in Lower Richland was once forested, and had been left untouched for decades under district ownership. It lies directly adjacent to Creekside in Reflections, a modest community of about 51 houses, largely belonging to retirees and members of the U.S. military. But the property was clear-cut for an expansive $31 million early learning center that was never built.
Issues over permitting and procurement led the district to cancel the project after it was paused for more than a year because of a stop work order from Richland County. It was the subject of a 2024 investigation by the state Office of Inspector General, which found Richland 1 had broken state law and cost taxpayers money.
Though the project was terminated, the site remains a problem for nearby residents. The designs used for the site were “inconsistent with standard civil engineering practices … leading to improper stormwater management,” according to one lawsuit.
Norman and Eva Blais purchased their home in the Creekside in Reflections neighborhood in 2022, and invested in making improvements to the property. Now, according to their lawsuit, as they put the house on the market, they cannot sell the home, nor recoup their investment.
The Blais residence had never experienced flooding prior to the school district’s construction project, according to the lawsuit.
Sarah Sharon Hart purchased her neighborhood home in October 2025, according to a lawsuit. She was unaware of the ongoing flooding. Since then, her yard has flooded and continues to flood when it rains, causing damage to her property and property value.
“Her backyard is being used as a drainage field,” the lawsuit read. “... which has damaged her Property, taken her property rights without compensation, interfered with her use and enjoyment of it, and damaged her Property value.”
The lawsuits, filed by attorneys Chris Kenney, Tobias Ward and J. Derrick Jackson, accuse Richland 1 of inverse condemnation, negligence and trespassing, and ask that a jury award financial compensation.
The district declined to comment on the pending litigation.
Ongoing neighborhood complaints
The lawsuit filed by Hart and the Blaises are part of a string of complaints against Richland 1
In November 2025, The Creekside in Reflections Homeowners’ Association also sued the district after severe and routine flooding has damaged homes and neighborhood infrastructure. At the time the complaint was filed, homeowners told The State there was no end in sight.
On top of injury to individual homes, the streets and the 25-year-old drainage system, for which the HOA is responsible, are routinely subject flooding it was not built for. It has quickly worn the infrastructure. Tony Chaviz, president of the Creekside In Reflections neighborhood HOA, previously told The State it would cost millions of dollars to replace it — something the little community cannot afford.
Charles Scriven, vice president of the HOA, previously told The State that Richland 1 has shown “no remorse” for its course of action.
Two lawsuits were also filed against the district in July 2024.
Homeowner Johna Wilkes alleged that repeated flooding from stormwater diverted from the early learning center construction site has made her home “unlivable,” and damaged furniture, cabinetry, flooring, walls, a pool and more. According to the lawsuit, Wilkes had lived on her property since 1997 and had never experienced flooding prior to the site being cleared of trees.
Meaghan and Aleni Ilimaleota, another neighborhood couple, made similar claims.
According to their lawsuit, Meaghan, an active-duty member of the United States Army stationed at Fort Jackson, received orders to deploy for a multi-year assignment overseas. The couple had intended to sell their home. Before “repeated” flooding caused by Richland 1, the couple would have been able to recoup their investment — and then some. But since the flooding, their property value had been “badly diminished.”
The district failed to anticipate or plan for stormwater, lawsuits alleged, and failed to design and implement an adequate drainage system to protect neighboring properties.
