Milwaukee Fire and mayor react to some public housing tenants using ovens to heat their units
Milwaukee Fire and mayor react to some public housing tenants using ovens to heat their units
Tuesday, TMJ4 talked to folks at Victory Manor who are using space heaters and ovens to stay warm
By: Jenna Rae
Posted at 5:29 PM, Jan 10, 2024, last updated 5:29 PM, Jan 10, 2024
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — It's getting colder in Milwaukee and people in one city run apartment building are resorting to space heaters and ovens as their main source of heat.
"I've been using my oven to keep my apartment warm," Victory Manor tenant, Nathaniel Banks, said.
"I use my heater and stove," another resident told TMJ4.
These are the types of measures public housing tenants at Victory Manor said they're taking just to stay warm.
The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) wouldn't interview with us, but said in part that they're "addressing heat functionality concerns in two of the 60 units at its Victory Manor."
"False advertisement is what I can say about it because I live here, and I know what time it is, and we don't have heat," Banks added.
TMJ4 asked Milwaukee's mayor Wednesday if he knew people living at Victory Manor were resorting to unsafe heating measures.
"If that's the case then those are the things that obviously should be followed up on," Mayor Cavalier Johnson said.
Johnson said it's now the Department of Neighborhood Services responsibility to inspect HACM's properties and hold the agency accountable.
"You're confident DNS has the ability to inspect these properties," TMJ4's Jenna Rae asked.
"First of all, I want to make sure that they follow up with maintenance at HACM, so that we know that the issue is known by the organization, and then also follow up with the Department of Neighborhood Services," Johnson replied.
We also went to the Milwaukee Fire Department.
"It's sad to know that some people are using unsafe ways to heat up their homes," Lt. Carlos Velazquez-Sanchez said. "Using the stove or using the oven, whether they're electric or gas, using grills or any other way of heating the home that wasn't meant for that purpose is dangerous and could be deadly."
If you need to use a space heater plug it directly into the wall, don't use an extension cord, keep a three-foot space between the heater and anything else in the home, only use heaters that will turn off if tipped over and never leave them unattended.
Velazquez-Sanchez said using a space heater or even your oven as heat, for long periods of time, is not a fix.
"That is drawing a lot of power that's overheating the wiring and the chances of that causing an electrical fire is very likely," Velazquez-Sanchez explained.
As of January 1, DNS now has the power to oversee HACM and hold them accountable by inspecting its properties.
DNS told TMJ4 that Victory Manor initially failed its HVAC system inspection due to a lack of certificate of compliance from the design professional, which is a required step. The building later passed an inspection.
A spokesperson for the Department of Neighborhood Services said they have previously received complaints about the lack of heat at Victory Manor, which had been forwarded to HACM.
DNS inspectors plan to go to Victory Manor Thursday for an inspection.
If you live there or at any other HACM property, you can call DNS at 414-286-2268 to file life and safety complaints.
Link to article here.