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More than 100 people living in the George Washington Houses on Manhattan's Upper East Side will have to cook for the next two months using electric hot plates instead of stoves. This, after crews working on the Second Avenue Subway shut off the gas instead of the water.

Construction of the new subway line has caused cracks in buildings, businesses to close and rats to run rampant. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says some of those problems are the price of doing a massive project.

Residents living at 1905 Second Avenue say they've had enough.

"It's a nuisance. Look at that, they took sidewalks away, our stores away and we need it. This should never happen, they didn't check the lines, one was the water, one was gas," said one affected tenant.

MTA Chairman Jay Walder says the valve shutoff mistake is unacceptable and that his first priority is trying to accommodate the residents. Then, he says, he will deal with the contractor.

"This is a mistake of a contractor, and the impact of that is the burden falls on over 100 people who are affected by that and lose their service," Walder said.

People living in the New York City Housing Authority say they've been told it will be about two months before gas is back because asbestos may need to be removed, pipes may need to be changed and permits may be needed for each step of the way for the repairs.

Not only does this mistake put people in danger, but it couldn't come at a worse time.

"We can't cook, we can't do nothing, they gave us hotplates. What you going to do with hotplates and the holidays coming up? People wanted to cook a Thanksgiving dinner and they say it's going to be two months without a stove," said George Washington Houses tenant Carolyn Cobb.

Despite the repairs, NYCHA officials say the building will still be able to supply heat and hot water.