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With Temps Plunging, Some NYCHA Residents Wake Up Without Heat Or Hot Water

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Saturday's temperatures were especially tough for residents in the city's public housing system who are without heat.

CBS2's Lisa Rozner spoke with residents in NYCHA's Marcus Garvey Houses in Brownsville, Brooklyn who woke up with no heat or hot water.

Myralann Thomas says she has a lung condition, but that hasn't stopped her from running her oven all day to stay warm. Her son, Daryl, came over to help feed and bathe her, and says he had to boil water to do both.

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"I'm very afraid for her because she's cold, she has breathing problems," Daryl said. "I'm afraid she can die."

The Thomases say they've been calling 311 and were told help is coming as temperatures head below freezing.

"Hurry up and get me some heat before I faint in this apartment," Myralann said.

NYCHA says crews have arrived at the location, and there were issues with an ASCO switch that the team is working to replace.

It wasn't immediately clear when Myralann and others would get their heat back, but earlier Saturday NYCHA released a press release regarding an effort to spend Saturdays doing maintenance work as they work to be a better landlord in the new year.

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