Some El Paso senior citizens have been living without hot water in low-income housing
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Some El Paso senior citizens at the Chelsea Towers have been living without hot water. They said they haven’t received help from management or the local housing authority.
Lupe Alvarado was visiting her 82-year-old mother after the woman experienced a health emergency when Alvarado discovered the water coming from her mother’s hot water faucet was cold.
Alvarado said the water temperature was about 85 to 87 degrees.
“Normal body temperature is 98.7. A comfortable bath would be anywhere between 90 to 105 degrees,” Alvarado said. “So I bathed there three days in a row, and it was cold.”
Residents at Chelsea Plaza Apartments receive housing vouchers through the local housing authority to help afford their homes.
The housing authority’s website says it is committed to providing safe and decent housing.
Alvarado said her experience has left her questioning if that standard is being met.
“The people at the office and at these numbers that I call were just like, ‘Well, you know, we’re aware of the problem. It’s just it is what it is,’” Alvarado said. “It made it sound like, well, at least they got water, you know? So be thankful for that.”
KVIA reached out to the housing authority and the management company about the issue.
The management company responded by email and included representatives from the housing authority. The company said it is working to fix the problem.
According to the company, residents living in the cottages, where Alvarado’s mother lives, are the ones affected.
The company said, in part, “At this time, the current situation has resulted with moving forward with replacement.”
Alvarado said she hopes the issue is resolved sooner rather than later.
“This actually affects their health and safety,” she said.
Alvarado said she believes residents deserve more than simply having water available, they deserve reliable access to hot water.
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