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WPCNR HEAT. By John F. Bailey. January 26, 2019: Mack Carter, Executive Director of the White Plains Housing Authority, has issued an exclusive statement to WPCNR on the News 12 television report aired Wednesday evening interviewing tenants of 86 Dekalb Avenue, White Plains, a Housing Authority Building. News 12 had reported residents as being without heat for 3 weeks. WPCNR asked Mr. Carter Thursday to clarify the situation at DeKalb.
Saturday afternoon, Mr. Carter issued the following letter to WPCNR. In it, Mr. Carter says the building has not been without heat at anytime since this heating season began. He says only one heat complaint has been filed and that was last Monday evening (when the temperature in White Plains was 4 degrees F. The complainant’s apartment rooms temperatures were 70 in the living room and 73 in the bedroom.
“We were not aware of any instance in which apartment temperatures dropped below code minimums,” Mr. Carter’s letter states.
Mr. Carter writes in the letter that the “two computerized boilers may have been under strain while trying to balance outside/inside temperatures.”
He reports “The management has been working this week with several HVAC and plumbing contractors in an effort to improve the performance of the two boilers.”
MACK CARTER OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY CLARIFIES THE APARTMENT HEATING SITUATION THERE.
The City of White Plains Department of Building code requires that “Every owner and operator of any building who rents, leases or lets one or more dwelling unit, rooming unit, dormoitory or guestroom on terms, either expressed or implied, to furnish heat to the occupants thereof shall supply heat during the period from September 15th to May 31st to maintain a temperature of not less than 68 degrees Farenheit in all habitable rooms, bathrooms, and toilet rooms.
The County of Westchester Code requires heat as follows:
The season begins Oct. 1 and ends May 31. However, whenever temperatures fall below 55 degrees
Farenheit, the inside temperature should be 68 degrees between 6 A.M. and 10 P.M. If it’s not, then you should call your building superintendent.
NO RESIDENTS OF DEKALB WENT TO COUNTY FOR TEMPORARY HOUSING.
WPCNR asked Catherine Cioffi, Westchester County Director of Communications whether any 86 Dekalb residents had come to Westchester County for temporary shelter because of the alleged low temperatures at 86 Dekalb. Ms. Cioffi consulted Kevin McGuire Director of the county Department of Social Services, and he reported none. Here are Mr. McGuire’s answers to WPCNR questions;
I checked with my staff. We have had no persons coming to us from this address for assistance. Let me see if I can answer the questions below:
1. Does the County have a shelter where residents could go or capacity for all the residents? Residents are free to come and apply for services at any office of the Offices of the Westchester County Department of Social Services.
2. Would the County shelter the heatless in hotels for the time being? No. Generally, relocation in such instances are usually handled by the landlord. People may also be temporarily helped out by the American Red Cross.
3. Does the county have any information on heat restoration to 86 DeKalb? No, that is a question best directed to the City of White Plains government.