Ongoing heat issues at Pontiac apartment leaving tenants in the cold
(FOX 2) - Tenants at one Pontiac apartment complex are struggling to escape the cold as freezing temperatures moved in on Michigan while the heat stopped working.
City officials say they're working to get the bottom of why residents are suffering through the cold, despite being told by the property's management that heat was working.
What they're saying:
The North Hill Farms apartment has no heat, according to those that live there. Some have been staying elsewhere with their family while others are resorting to other measures.
"We’ve been turning on the ovens and turning on the eyes on the stove and leaving the oven open and that’s dangerous, but that’s what we we’ve been having to do," said one tenant.
While one unit did have warm air pumping through a single floor vent, it's not enough to keep things warm elsewhere in the unit.
They say they've been waiting for the heat to be restored for a month and a half. And some say they have to foot the bill for maintenance requests.
"They put that on your bill and if you can’t pay it – eviction notice," the tenant said.
"I’m not sure if the systems need fixing or whatever but they’re not coming out and doing anything," said Dawn Hannah, a community activist.
Local perspective:
Hannah has been working with the tenants to get their issue in front of city council.
"I’m fed up with how they’re being treated out here, and I let my council and mayor [know[ what’s going on," she said. "We need help."
Also at the residence was Councilman Mikal Goodman, who learned about the condition last week.
He said management reported to the city's code enforcement that heat was working in the units, but tenant complaints have continued piling up.
"That bothers me a whole lot, especially because we have rules in the city to specifically keep that from happening," said Goodman.
It's the third complex to report no heat, he added.
"As someone who has dealt with that myself growing up, I’m not about to let someone else deal with it," Goodman said.