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Residents of New Kensington apartment building left without heat and no answers from management

New Kensington apartment complex left without heat
New Kensington apartment complex left without heat 02:52

NEW KENSINGTON (KDKA) - Freezing cold temperatures outside are creating a dire situation in New Kensington.

Multiple tenants at the Valley Royal Court Apartment Complex told KDKA-TV they're currently without heat, on top of other dangerous living conditions.

"I lived without heat for a month. It is frustrating. I have electric heaters in my home to keep it heated," a tenant who didn't want to go on camera told KDKA-TV.

The tenant said she's been without heat for weeks and claims she is not the only one.

"There's no heat whatsoever. It's just ridiculous," Franz Wade said, who lives at the apartment complex with his cousin.

"We were just told there's two whole buildings right now without heat. That's 12 families in each building. We're talking about 24 families without heat," the woman said.

Tenants at the 5th Avenue apartment complex said they're doing what they can right now to stay warm.

"She (his cousin) uses a stove with carbon monoxide. She uses a stove and then she gets portable electric heaters but it's dangerous so I don't know what she's going to do," Wade said.

"I have electric heaters in my home to keep it heated," the woman said. "My smoke detectors don't work for me and that's a bigger concern working with these electric heaters cuz what if I wake up with a fire."

Several tenants told KDKA-TV that maintenance workers are nowhere to be found and the manager on site can't help.

"The company isn't giving her no money. The company is not helping her (manager). If the company isn't helping her, what is she going to do? She can't do nothing. She's just a worker herself," the woman said.

KDKA went to the office building Wednesday but no one was there. We also called the office number and got a recording saying, "This number has been temporarily disconnected."

We also called the manager's cell phone but they hung up on us.

"It's really messed up that we have to deal with this stuff!" the woman tenant said.

That tenant also cited several other issues at the apartment complex including mold, rodent infestations, and broken windows and doors.

KDKA-TV reported in December about the same issues

"Some of these people have kids you know? They need heat! They need heat. It's below zero now. I don't know what they're going to do. Something needs done" Wade said.

According to court paperwork, on Dec. 12 Ian Lagowitz with Trigild Inc. was given receivership of the property due to the previous owners being charged with fraud.

The City of New Kensington said WinnCompanies is the management company for Valley Royal Court Apartments, but WinnResidential confirmed to KDKA-TV on Thursday that it is no longer the management company for the property. 

A spokesperson said the management company change occurred "recently."

"The reason for the change is private," Ed Cafasso said, on behalf of WinnCompanies. 

KDKA-TV asked how recently WinnResidential broke ties with the property. We have not heard back yet.

According to court paperwork, Trigild Inc. is now in charge of operating and maintaining the property.

KDKA-TV reached out to all their corporate numbers from Miami to San Diego and got no answer.

"I want the city to come and help us. Place us somewhere. These homes are not… even if they try to fix them up, these homes need condemned. They know that. These homes, there's no way to fix them," the woman said.

Representative Jill Cooper said she sat down with city officials earlier this week to discuss the issues at the apartment complex.

She said tenants are being encouraged to call HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development).

Cooper said they've also notified the Westmoreland County District Attorney.

"I don't want people living in unsafe conditions," Cooper said.

In the meantime, the city clerk told KDKA-TV that the city's code enforcement officer has sent multiple letters to building management and has cited the property but it has made no difference.

"It's a terrible situation," Dennis Scarpiniti, the New Kensington City Clerk said.

The original version of this story incorrectly identified WinnCompanies as the former owner of the building instead of the former management company. It has been updated.

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