‘It’s dangerous’: Detroit apartment has no air conditioning for 2 weeks in sweltering heat
By Ruta Ulcinaite
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DETROIT (WXYZ) — Residents at an apartment complex in Southwest Detroit are fed up after they say they’ve had no air conditioning for two weeks in sweltering temperatures.
Across the Park Apartments are located near Shaefer Highway and S. Fort Street and take in low-income residents.
The AC not working comes at a time when temperatures outside have been in the 90s all week.
“This heat is something else,” 20-year resident Cleophus Nevels said. “Cats and dogs get treated better than this.”
We reached out to the company that manages the building, Independent Management Services, which told us that the air conditioning has a single central system. They ordered a part to fix it but have been waiting for it to arrive because it was only available directly from the manufacturer. They say the part has arrived as of Thursday. As of Friday, there’s still no cool air.
“Hard to breathe. Hard to do anything,” two-year resident Donald Oliver said. “All I know is everyone’s miserable and they want some relief. They want something done.”
Residents told me they’ve received no official notice of what was going on from the building until we reached out to the company Wednesday. The notice is below:
Despite the notice and the part being delivered, residents say the thermometers in their homes are in the 90s. They’ve had to get creative, blasting air in their cars and taking ice baths.
Management has set up a cooling center of the apartment, however residents say the room isn’t always open and available for use.
“Hopefully, they get it together and hopefully, they can try to do something about it,” resident of over 20 years Alexander Henderson said.
We reached out to Independent Management Services Friday to get an update but did not get a response. For now, residents fully anticipate to not have air conditioning throughout the weekend.
“It’s dangerous,” two-month resident Christopher Wilder said. “It’s a nice place. It’s just got to get right.”
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