By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
After decades of persistent flooding and property damage, Turner Station, a historic Black community in Baltimore County, has received a federal grant to the tune of $3.15 million for flood resiliency and mitigation upgrades. Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07), alongside Baltimore County Executive Katherine Klausmeier and leaders from Turner Station Conservation Teams, announced the funding on March 12.
The money will finance the first phase of the Turner Station Flood Resilience Roadmap, which includes installation of mitigation pumps, improvements to drainage systems and the addition of new planting to better manage stormwater and reduce future flooding. Officials said the infrastructure updates aim to protect homes, businesses and streets from future flood events.
“For decades, Turner Station has faced serious flooding that impacts upon our homes, our safety and our quality of life,” said Gloria Nelson, resident and president of Turner Station Conservation Teams, an organization dedicated to reversing historic neglect in the neighborhood. “The funding represents an important first step toward lasting solutions, and we are hopeful this investment is just the beginning of continued support and funding to fully address flooding and strengthen our community.”
The federal grant money for Turner Station was obtained by Mfume during the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations process. A native of Turner Station himself, the congressman explained that the community’s flood problems started decades ago when Hurricane Hazel wreaked havoc across Maryland. In Turner Station, floodwaters up to eight feet high filled homes and caused significant erosion.
“That flooding and that erosion brought about a process that many years later now is still with us. Unfortunately, this month also marks two years since the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, an event that literally and figuratively shook this entire region to its core, but particularly shook Turner Station and Dundalk,” said Mfume. “It reminded us—and still does— of how interconnected communities on the shorelines are, and it also reminded us that this whole issue of erosion will continue to get worse unless we are prepared to deal with it.”
Since the loss of the Key Bridge in March 2024, flooding challenges have escalated, with increased traffic and road strain further taxing local drainage systems.
“Some of you know even your homes in this community, as a result of that collapse, have structured lines and cracks in the foundation. We’ve all seen the increase in traffic and big trucks that cannot go through the tunnel. It’s been a real impact,” Mfume continued. “Communities along the water—Turner Station notwithstanding— are still recovering from many of those disruptions. That’s why this investment today is so important.”
Mfume emphasized that this grant is a first step in ameliorating Turner Station’s flooding challenges. He doubled down on his commitment to seeking more funding for future projects in the community.
Lifelong Turner Station resident Olivia Lomax characterized the investment as a “long time coming” and the culmination of keeping hope alive. She emphasized that increasing flood resiliency in the community will have ripple effects—from eliminating mold in homes to saving households money on repairs.
“These are things that this flooding has done to corrupt our community,” said Lomax. “I have my great grandbaby and my granddaughter here. I’m not doing this for myself, I’m doing it for the future.”
