Property managers react to ABC-7’s report on almost a year of no HVAC services on one of its properties
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Winn Residential as HOME.
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- ABC-7 reported Friday that residents of a downtown Section 8 housing complex had been without heating and cooling services for nearly a year. Monday, officials from the property managers of that complex are responding in greater detail.
A resident of the Blue Flame Apartments contacted ABC-7 last week about the building's lack of air conditioning. ABC-7 learned that the affected floors were all housing under Housing Opportunity Management Enterprises (HOME).
HOME initially denied ABC-7's request for an interview, but provided a statement.
"Housing Opportunity Management Enterprises (HOME) is working alongside the Blue Flame Building’s property manager (Winn Residential) to address air conditioner issues at the Blue Flame Building as quickly and effectively as possible. Once alerted of the issues with the AC system, HOME immediately responded to the needs of the residents. The AC system, which is a state-of-the-art system, went down earlier this year affecting about four floors of the 17-story Blue Flame Building. The cause of the issue was the simultaneous failure of 28 compressors..."
"...HOME has, among other things, opened a community space in the basement so residents have a comfortable place – with air conditioning and refreshments. In addition, HOME has provided portable air conditioners and fans to residents to help them cool their units while the AC is being repaired," said HOME officials in a statement Friday."
Monday, officials from Winn Residential provided an update.
"We anticipate that service will be restored to those households by Wednesday-Thursday of this week," said Ed Cafasso, spokesperson for Winn Residential, the day-to-day property managers of the Blue Flame Building.
As for the replacement compressors, Cafasso said "They've been ordered over, as we've been dealing with these outages, these malfunctions of these LG compressors, we've been ordering to replace them."
