Elderly tenants suffer with no air condition at Huntsville apartment complex

By Archie Snowden

Published: June 20, 2024

As temperatures outside are nearing the triple digits, several people living in a housing unit in downtown Huntsville say their air conditioning units haven’t been working for nearly two years.

Unbearable Conditions

Tenant John Stanners told News 19 that the increased temperature inside of the Russel Erskine Apartments is unbearable and something must be done.

“When you walk into a big building you should get blasted with AC but not in our building,” Stanners said.

Stanners lives on the lower level of Erskine and he says his A-C is working just fine. But he says his neighbors have been suffering with no air conditioning in their apartment for more than a year. With the temperature rising through the day well into the 90s, his neighbor, whose AC unit is not working, came over to his unit to get some relief.

“My friend Joyce came down this morning just to get a little A-C in my apartment, and I feel sorry for her really,” Stanners explained.

Efforts to Seek Help

According to recordings, the owner of the building is listed as Redwood Communities in Austin Texas. Stanners sent multiple complaints to the owner and the county health department. The tenants, most of which are older and live on a fixed income, live in units that are subsidized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

“I sent an email to the owners of the building and got no response. I told them when I sent the email that we know our rights, and you are violating our rights, and you are trying to be a bully,” Stanners said.

Additional Issues

There’s also an issue with the garbage pickup. Piles of trash are laden in the nearby parking lot. Stanners said that the new owner had cut off the original garbage pickup plan without notice to the tenants.

“It’s kind of a sad thing really,” said Stanners. “Especially if you must take your trash out in this kind of temperature, then cross the busy street, walk a block to the dumpster that you can’t put anything in now, because it’s so full because they haven’t paid the bill.”

Seeking Assistance

News 19 reached out to city councilman Bill Kling, who notified the Huntsville community development director about the AC issue, who then notified the city Fire Marshall. Efforts to reach Redwood Communities were unsuccessful.

Closing Thoughts

As elderly tenants in the Huntsville apartment complex continue to suffer without proper air conditioning, the community is urged to address these pressing issues to ensure the well-being and comfort of all residents.

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