Published: May 15, 2008 07:29 pm            

Orange senior hot over lack of a/c

By Debby Schamber

The Orange Leader



As the heat of summer nears, an Orange man is worried about the consequences he may face by being closed up in an apartment without air conditioning.

Tyrone Hohrine, 66, has lived in an apartment at the Orange Housing Authority complex for about eight years. The Orange senior contends many of those years have been difficult for him.

“I have lived without heat for two years,” he said. “I haven’t had air conditioning for a week and I just can’t wait that long for air conditioning.”

Clearly frustrated with the situation, Hohrine demonstrated Thursday how when he adjusts the thermostat in his home, the fan intended to circulate the cool air does not switch on.

He says he leaves the back door open for now, but that does not do much good on cooling the small apartment. Additionally, Hohrine says there are flies and mosquitos to deal with.

During the cold winter months, with no family here in Orange, Hohrine added he was forced to get heat from the one working stove burner in his apartment.

Hohrine said he also covered up and slept in a chair positioned near the stove.

“I about froze to death,” he added.

According to Katie Swope, public housing operations director at the Orange Housing Authority, the apartment complex where Hohrine resides is old and about seven or eight units are currently without air conditioning.

However, in an effort to help, she said OHA has sent their maintenance man to take a look at the problems. Additionally, Swope said she has called an air conditioner repair company to come fix the broken air conditioning units.

“All we can do is make a call and get in line,” Swope said.

Swope added the Housing Authority office is also currently without air conditioning.

“In the office we haven’t had air for more than one and a half weeks,” Swope said. “We are waiting on a part.”

During the winter months, Swope said the tenants who were without heat were provided small electric heaters. “We went out and bought electric heaters so they would have heat,” Swope said. “If he didn’t have heat it’s because he didn’t pay his gas bill and that is his responsibility.”



Reach this reporter at 409-883-3571, Ext. 2613, or dschamber@orangeleader.com

        

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