Harlem NYCHA residents frustrated after gas to apartments shut off till July due to leak
Each of the 226 apartments at the Grant Houses has been given a hot plate in the meantime
HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) -- Tenants at a NYCHA housing complex in Harlem want some answers after they were notified this week that their gas will be shut off, not for a couple days, but for seven months.
There's no gas, but there's plenty to fuel Jasmine's frustration.
Last week, the cooking gas was turned off. Signs just went up in her building on Thursday and residents have been told the gas may not be back on until July.
"Now they said it's a leak that had nothing to do with the building, that it's outside, but we're affected a long time. July is a long time," Jasmine said.
In the meantime, each of the 226 apartments at the Grant Houses in Harlem has been given a hot plate -- which makes it a challenge to cook a meal for a family.
"It takes me forever to cook," resident Carolyn Scott said. "I cooked a big meal recently and it took me four hours to cook ... four hours to cook that one meal."
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Many residents say they're forced to eat out or order in, and the costs are adding up.
Councilman Shaun Abreau says there's a push to get residents additional food vouchers and Meals on Wheels for senior residents. He's calling for answers from NYCHA and Con Edison.
"We're hoping next week we'll have NYCHA meet with the residents in the Tenants Association to get more certainty on the project, I know that there are some efforts to provide them pressure cookers, but that's not the same as a gas stove," Abreau said.
Jasmine hopes that by speaking up, tenants will get their gas sooner than later.
"The gas is not the only issue I have in my apartment, but this is one of the major issues," she said.
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As for the leak, NYCHA says it involves an underground gas main to the building.
Con Ed says it will install new gas equipment once NYCHA completes the necessary work.
It's unclear when that work will begin.
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