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Single mom, neighbors complain of no A/C at apartments

Apartment residents complain of no operating AC Crossing at Southern Hills.png
Posted at 5:25 PM, Aug 03, 2023
and last updated 2023-08-03 19:11:40-04

TULSA, Okla. — The soothing sound of an air conditioning unit is a necessity during Green Country's grueling heat spell.

But for Madison Beebe, a single mother of two small children at The Crossing at Southern Hills, it hasn't even been an option.

"We're supposed to have central heat and air. We don't have no air at all," Beebe said.

The only relief in her Section 8 apartment is a rented window unit her mom got for her that she sticks in her kids' bedroom.

She told 2 News over the phone she's gotten minimal response from property management and worries for her daughter with asthma.

"There's a lot of people out here with the same problems as everyone else," Beebe said. "Everybody out here has kids, single parents. I mean, we have to buy our own window units which we can barely afford."

Mekhi Samuel also lives at the complex and said he and some of his neighbors are recently without AC too.

"Like even with my fan on I'm burning up in there," Samuel said. "Then I woke up in a bit of like a cold or something so that doesn't help my case."

The Crossing at Southern Hills management office refused to offer any official comment. 2 News tried to reach out to their corporate owners, Red Oak management, but didn't hear back. Management also refused to say where Red Oak management is based.

Attorney Eric Hallett of Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma said renters need to know their rights.

"This landlord has signed an agreement with the housing authority promising to provide these services," he said.

"And if the landlord doesn't provide those services the housing authority will come out and inspect that tenant's right to have those services. But they do that by making the tenant move."

Unfortunately, Hallett said, it takes 4-6 months to find another Section 8 unit.

In Beebe's case, Tulsa Housing Authority said it hasn't received an official notice since last year, but did state that for a broken AC unit, the landlord will have 24 hours to make the repair.

During the sweltering heat the residents said they have a simple demand.

"Fixing the air," Ashley Desonia said. "It's too hot for my kids to be in their like this, way too hot. And of course fixing my electrical issue, because my house could catch on fire."

"As much as I hate the cold weather, this is too much for me. This weather is too much," Samuel added.

"It's unfair that me and my family, people like me and my family have to go through something like this," Beebe said.


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