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Woman says her Detroit apartment complex hasn't had heat for week

Posted at 5:49 PM, Nov 14, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-14 20:42:41-05

DETROIT (WXYZ) — With these blistering cold temperatures, especially overnight, no one should be living without heat. A woman at an apartment complex on Detroit’s west side says she’s been without heat for weeks.

Deborah McCray says she wasn’t getting any help from the apartment managers, so she called 7 Action News.

“Whatever temperature it is outside, it’s the (same) temperature in here,” Deborah said.

She’s been living in the Chapel Court Apartment Complex for the last 18 years.

Deborah says apartment managers told her there are issues with the furnace, which is why her building doesn’t have any heat. But it’s not the first time.

“Last year, had the same issue. I went three weeks without heat, kept calling back and forth. They kept saying they are going to fix furnace, they finally got it fixed after three weeks in the cold.”

She says this year’s issues started again late October.

“Why couldn’t this have been done during summer time because this had occurred last year.”

We left a message with the apartment manager and then called the city, who sent out an inspector. We’re told the city had been to this complex last and earlier this week, issuing tickets.

“But still in the cold,” Deborah said.

Now, the citations have been elevated to criminal misdemeanor tickets.

Officials with the city’s Building, Safety, Engineering and Environmental Department, released this statement concerning this building issue:

This morning, the city conducted a follow-up inspection of the property and verified that the property owner had not complied with our correction order to restore heat. Because of this, we are issuing a criminal misdemeanor ticket for the violation, which, if not addressed, could result in jail time if he doesn’t visit BSEED to make arrangements or comply with the order.

For now, Deborah has to bundle up indoors during the day and even more at night.

She added, “I’m not the only person that’s going through this situation but no one should have to go through a situation like this.”

Deborah says she will be forced to move out by the end of the month if the issue isn’t resolved.