Some public housing residents in Brooklyn say they've been without heat for a few days now—and as temperatures get set to drop, they're hoping NYCHA steps in to make the needed fixes. NY1's Lori Chung filed this report.
"The past couple of days have been horrible, because the last time I had heat was Thursday," says Catherine Smith, a resident of the New York City Housing Authority.
Since then, Smith has been using the oven to keep warm inside her apartment at the Van Dyke houses in Brownsville. The 83-year-old says calls to NYCHA haven't helped get the heat back on.
"I keep calling, calling and all they keep giving me is new ticket numbers," Smith says.
Smith keeps records of each heat complaint she's filed, and says she's been without heat so many times this winter that she's filed 10 emergency repair tickets so far.
"They told me 24 hours—in 24 hours they were sending somebody out... nobody ever comes," Smith says.
While there is heat in many of the other apartments at the complex, NYCHA representatives say the pressure in the building's heating system is low—keeping indoor temperatures colder than normal—and frustration levels high.
"It only comes on for a few hours a day—that's it—and then we're going right back down to no heat, it's elderly people here my next door neighbor, you have to check on them. It's just ridiculous," says tenant Samira Alston.
NYCHA sent us a statement saying that “as the cold season continues, NYCHA is addressing heating issues in its aging buildings, including at 361 Livonia Avenue at Van Dyke houses, where NYCHA staff are working to resolve disruptions in heat service."
Tenants like Smith say that resolution can't come fast enough.
"I'm suffering, I'm suffering. I pay my rent. Why should I suffer like this?" Smith says.
According to nycha, loss of heat is considered an emergency, so tenants who are in the cold are asked to call that NYCHA customer contact line at 718-707-7771. Those emergencies should be handled within 24 hours.