They've been using space heaters, boiling hot water on the stove and covering windows with plastic to stay warm.
They say the heat has been insufficient for years, but this season's freezing cold has made conditions unbearable.
"We wear all of our clothes to bed," one resident said.
Residents say they have to use blankets to cover the front door to prevent a draft and other methods to stay warm.
Mrs. Wooden is afraid to leave the space heater on at night because she fears it could catch on fire.
At 90-years-old she realizes it would be tough for her to get out, so she sleeps in covered blankets.
Three layers of plastic cover the windows, keeping the cold air out.
And in some units, the thermometer reads 80 degrees but there is minimal warmth coming from the building's heat system.
The federally funded building has 237 units and many residents who are on fixed incomes say their electric bills have jumped because they have to use space heaters and the electric stove to stay warm.
"Seniors are usually on blood thinners so they're colder than most people. They complain about their energy bills because they have to run space heaters and their ovens and boil water just to stay warm. And then they complain about the lack of responsiveness from both the city as well as their landlord," Attorney Alaina Thomas with Rutgers Housing Justice and Tenant Solidarity said.
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