Racine renters without A/C; seniors cope with unfulfilled promises

Racine renters without A/C; seniors cope

Residents of a Racine senior apartment community are frustrated after their air conditioning failed.

RACINE, Wis. - Extreme heat, no air conditioning and today, unfulfilled promises. People living in a Racine senior apartment complex called FOX6 News for help.

Unfulfilled promises

What we know:

Those living at Lake Oaks Apartments tell FOX6 News they chose to live here because of the view of Lake Michigan. Lake Oaks is a 55 and older senior apartment community. But residents say the last few days have been a nightmare. 

Some of those tenants reached out to FOX6 News after their apartments reached 87°F and they got no response from management. 

What they're saying:

"I don’t know if the owner of this building knows what is going on here or what," said Lillian Boykin of Racine. 

Lillian Boykin

FOX6 News also reached to the management company, Gene B. Glick, on Monday and Tuesday. Nobody returned our calls or emails. 

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Tenants said they saw air conditioning units in the lobby. But as of Tuesday evening, they had not received them. Now, those tenants are looking at their leases for options. 

"Don’t let it get above 85. But, what am I supposed to do?" Boykin said. 

What's next:

Racine Alderman Tyler Townsend has been on the property multiple times. He told FOX6 News he cannot do much, calling it a civil matter. 

"It’s like a helpless feeling, you know?" Townsend said. "The city has been out here multiple times and they are – they’re saying their hands are kind of tied because as of right now we only have the ordinance for low temperatures and heat not working. But there’s nothing necessarily for high temperatures."

Racine Alderman Tyler Townsend

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Jeremy McGovern with Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS) said that is the case statewide. 

"Unfortunately, the city of Milwaukee and really any municipality in the state of Wisconsin won’t have code that regulates heat," McGovern said. "And each municipality would be prevented from writing additional code because that would supersede state law."

Jeremy McGovern

McGovern said the best way to make a change is to petition state legislators. 

Alderman Townsend said he is putting together an ordinance now that would include temperature requirements for apartments during extreme heat. That is still early in the process and has not been formally introduced to the Common Council.