A Record Number of NYC Tenants Are Being Harassed Over Lack of Heat and Hot Water.
The freezing temperatures in New York City have reached a boiling point for many residents, who are making record numbers of complaints to the city about lack of heat and hot water. In January alone, nearly 80,000 complaints were filed with the Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), the highest number ever recorded for a single month.
While HPD officials say they're doing their best to address these issues, many tenants are feeling frustrated and stressed out by the situation. For Angelette Waring, living in a mixed-use building on Webster Avenue in the Bronx, the lack of heat and hot water is more than just an inconvenience – it's a harassment.
"I've been doing everything to be in compliance with the law," said Lou Popovic, who heads JLP Metro Management, one of the companies hired to fix these issues. "If there are life and safety issues, they will be addressed immediately."
Despite efforts by management companies like JLP Metro, many buildings still face chronic problems, including inconsistent heat and hot water as well as gas outages. In some cases, residents have been left without heat or hot water for days, making their living conditions unbearable.
NYCHA's outage tracker shows that over 300 residents were suddenly left without heat and hot water on Thursday, with nearly 6,000 residents across six other complexes having their heat restored after unplanned outages in the past day. While officials say they're working to address these issues quickly, many landlords are saying it's a slow process due to bureaucratic red tape.
Turning the heat back on quickly requires coordination between plumbers, city inspectors and utility providers, who can all create logjams in the process. As Michael Johnson, spokesperson for the New York Apartment Association, said, "Repairing a broken boiler usually necessitates coordination between these professionals."
The freezing temperatures have already taken their toll on the city, with 17 New Yorkers found dead outdoors in the past two weeks, and authorities believe at least 13 of those deaths were due to hypothermia. As forecasters warn that this weekend could bring even colder temperatures, residents are being urged to look out for one another, particularly those who may be living on the streets.
In the meantime, tenants continue to take matters into their own hands by calling 311 to report heat and hot water issues or request homeless outreach assistance. For some, it's a desperate measure, but one that's become necessary in this extreme weather situation.
The freezing temperatures in New York City have reached a boiling point for many residents, who are making record numbers of complaints to the city about lack of heat and hot water. In January alone, nearly 80,000 complaints were filed with the Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), the highest number ever recorded for a single month.
While HPD officials say they're doing their best to address these issues, many tenants are feeling frustrated and stressed out by the situation. For Angelette Waring, living in a mixed-use building on Webster Avenue in the Bronx, the lack of heat and hot water is more than just an inconvenience – it's a harassment.
"I've been doing everything to be in compliance with the law," said Lou Popovic, who heads JLP Metro Management, one of the companies hired to fix these issues. "If there are life and safety issues, they will be addressed immediately."
Despite efforts by management companies like JLP Metro, many buildings still face chronic problems, including inconsistent heat and hot water as well as gas outages. In some cases, residents have been left without heat or hot water for days, making their living conditions unbearable.
NYCHA's outage tracker shows that over 300 residents were suddenly left without heat and hot water on Thursday, with nearly 6,000 residents across six other complexes having their heat restored after unplanned outages in the past day. While officials say they're working to address these issues quickly, many landlords are saying it's a slow process due to bureaucratic red tape.
Turning the heat back on quickly requires coordination between plumbers, city inspectors and utility providers, who can all create logjams in the process. As Michael Johnson, spokesperson for the New York Apartment Association, said, "Repairing a broken boiler usually necessitates coordination between these professionals."
The freezing temperatures have already taken their toll on the city, with 17 New Yorkers found dead outdoors in the past two weeks, and authorities believe at least 13 of those deaths were due to hypothermia. As forecasters warn that this weekend could bring even colder temperatures, residents are being urged to look out for one another, particularly those who may be living on the streets.
In the meantime, tenants continue to take matters into their own hands by calling 311 to report heat and hot water issues or request homeless outreach assistance. For some, it's a desperate measure, but one that's become necessary in this extreme weather situation.
i'm literally dying over here 
thinking about all these nyc tenants who are having to deal with no heat and hot water in the middle of freezing temps!!! 
it's like, what even is going on?! 
i know city officials say they're doing everything they can but it feels like they're not taking this seriously enough 
and honestly idk how much more ppl can take before something just snaps 
anyone who has to live in a place with no heat and hot water is basically homeless 
we need some serious changes ASAP 
but at the same time i think its awesome that ppl are taking matters into their own hands and calling 311 to report issues its showing that community spirit is still alive & kicking 
and lets be real, the city is gonna fix it eventually, with or without gov't help 
they just need to work faster & more efficiently so ppl can get back to living comfortably soon 
I think its crazy how NYC is being hit so hard with the cold temps and yet they can't seem to get their heating systems going 
. I mean I get it, bureaucracy can be a thing, but 80k+ complaints in one month is insane! 
We need some real solutions fast, like maybe investing in more community resources or something to help with the costs of heat and hot water for those who can't afford it 
. But at the same time, it's hard to blame HPD for doing everything they can with limited resources. We need more funding and support for housing preservation programs, for sure 
It's like they're trapped in a real-life episode of "The Office" where Dwight Schrute would be the landlord and everyone else is just dealing with his crazy antics. 
But seriously, 80k+ complaints? That's insane. I feel for these guys, it's not just about being cold, it's about feeling harassed and like they're losing control over their living situation.
We can't just rely on the city to get everything fixed, we gotta support each other too 
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. This is getting out of hand and needs some serious attention from our leaders ASAP! 
we need 2 see some serious changes ASAP!!! 
I'm really concerned about the state of heating and hot water services in NYC right now. The numbers are insane - 80k complaints in January alone? That's just not right. 
It's crazy how many complaints are piling up - 80k+ in Jan alone! 
The city is saying they're doing their best, but it feels like a slow process and bureaucratic red tape is holding them back 
Meanwhile, some residents are literally freezing outside with no heat or hot water 
What's going on here is unacceptable! We need a better solution ASAP 
. Meanwhile, 17 New Yorkers died due to hypothermia in just 2 weeks, it's like, our city is literally freezing from the inside out 
That's way too long, especially when you're dealing with life or safety issues 
It's like the gov can't even do their job right anymore. I mean, I get that maintenance is hard and stuff, but 80k complaints in one month?! That's just crazy! 
. I mean, I know they're trying to do better, but it's just so frustrating when you see all these reports of ppl being left without heat and hot water for days on end. Like, how are we supposed to survive in a city where that's just a normal part of life? 
. We need some real solutions here, not just Band-Aid fixes. And can someone please fix the pipes already?! 
