Residents of a Kenwood senior complex endure heat wave without working A/C

CHICAGO — A senior apartment complex in the Kenwood neighborhood is without air conditioning, leaving its residents to rely on fans during the city’s first heat wave of the year.  

“There’s no air, no nothing. It’s hot. It’s 98 degrees out here and it’s been like that since yesterday,” Felicia Strozier said.

Strozier’s mother is a resident at the Cottage View Terrace Apartments in Kenwood. She says the units have been without air conditioning since Friday.

“Those who don’t have fans or have plastic fans that aren’t really blowing no air at all, what they have to do is they’ll go outside, go to the lobby and sit there and try to get some air,” Strozier said.

According to the complex’s website, the site offers one- and two-bedroom units designated for seniors 55 years old and older.

“This is a senior building. There is no reason there is no air circulating through this building,” Strozier said. “They have central air and yet they don’t have it working. They say they’re working on it, and they been working on it since yesterday.”

Strozier says she hasn’t talked to the complex’s management personally but is being told they’re looking for a part to fix the air conditioning.

WGN-TV has reached out to the property’s management team. We have yet to hear back.

Strozier says her mother and other residents are relying heavily on fans or going to a relative’s home to cool off.