Residents describe "nightmarish" experience of no heat in their south Minneapolis apartment building
Residents of a South Minneapolis apartment building say they've been without heat for weeks as a bitter blast of winter weather continues.
Charlie Tirey, one of the tenants, shared a temperature reading of 46.8 degrees inside his unit. He said he is frustrated that the problem hasn't been resolved yet after property managers notified residents that a new boiler needs to be installed.
"It's nightmarish. I went walking through the halls, knocking on doors, talking to tenants so we could send a collective email. And some of the experiences were quite sad," Tirey told WCCO in an interview. "I had to discourage someone who was using their oven to heat the apartment. That is a fire danger, but she was so cold that she was doing anything in her power to make it livable."
In a statement to WCCO, BLVD Management, which oversees the property, acknowledged the issue and said it's working to resolve it.
The property managers ordered a new boiler system as soon as the problem was identified, a spokesperson said in an email, but pending inspections have caused delays.
"One of the key factors extending the timeline has been the pace of required state and city inspections on the new boiler equipment and related work. These inspections must be completed and approved before the system can be fully brought online, and they have unfortunately taken longer than anyone would like," the statement said. "Based on current scheduling, we expect the new boiler system to be fully operational within approximately a week."
The property managers added that the team has "taken this situation very seriously" and offered "temporary heating solutions" and compensation to residents.
Tirey said he was given one space heater and that it's insufficient to keep his apartment warm. Residents were also offered a free pizza on Thursday. In an email that went out to all tenants reviewed by WCCO, property managers said once heat is restored, renters would receive a rent credit for the number of days the building did not have it.
"I just put my cat on a heating pad that I purchased myself yesterday. We have to cope by putting out our own money to heat ourselves. I've heard of some tenants sleeping in their winter coats. It's very unfortunate," Tirey said.
State law requires landlords keep units at a minimum temperature of 68 degrees from Oct. 1 to April 30. And there are some actions tenants can take if heating problems are not resolved.
If there are needed repairs, tenants should first notify their property manager in writing. But if they can't get a hold of them, they can file a complaint with local housing, health or fire inspectors, according to the Minnesota attorney general's office.
Residents can also place full rent in escrow and seek a court order for repairs, or sue the landlord under the Tenant's Remedies Act.
Another resident, Eleanor Gates, told WCCO by text message that winter has been difficult without heat and that running multiple space heaters has increased her electric bill.
"I'm fortunate to have somewhere else to stay right now, but I worry for my neighbors -- especially those with children and those who don't speak English who may be struggling to get information or advocate for themselves," Gates said.
HOME Line also offers free legal advice for tenants if they are facing rental problems. Their number is 612-728-5767, and they have additional numbers designated for non-English speakers.
Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid is another resource for renters with questions about their legal rights.