Residents in complex left with no heat

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- Residents in a New Haven apartment complex say they're being left in the cold. They say heat is supposed to be included in their rent but the tenants claim that management is not keeping the building at 65 degrees which is required by law.

Residents of 44 Orange Street say they've complained to management and the Livable City Initiative. Still they say it's brutally cold at night in their apartments. They called News 8 and we went in earlier today with a heating specialist to do a little research.

Al Pina said he's been complaining to maintenance since the first week he moved in over a year ago.

"He said to me 'we don't care how cold you are, it's what you get.' My heart dropped," said Al Pina.

Pina contacted News Eight with his concerns back on December 31, 2012. We called building maintenance and the Livable City Initiative and left multiple messages in an attempt to get some anwers. Livable City Initiative did not return our calls or comment on the issue until we told them we would be airing this story two weeks later.  When they did talk us they said they were aware of the issue.

Since Pina first brought the problem to our attention, we've been contacted by more than a dozen residents with the same heating problems.

"It's not working so I turn my oven on so my son and I can, you know, be warm," said Denise Jones.

Residents can't control their own heat.

"I have to turn on the stove and the oven in order to make the house. Sometimes we sleep in the living room because of it," said Joseph Badilo.

Law requires the temperature be at least sixty five degrees. Pina has filed police reports and has documented all of his formal complaints. Residents say management is just not listening.

"Do you call downstairs? Do you call maintenenace," asked News 8's Jacquie Slater.
"We've made plenty of reports and they just shrug it off," said Badilo.

For the past couple of weeks we've had some pretty mild temperatures but now there's snow on the ground and temperatures are set to plummet again. Residents say they want to make sure this problem is fixed once and for all.
We brought in an expert from Crawl Oil and Alpine Heating and Cooling. He says the baseboard heat system isn't cutting it.

"That should be much hotter, you know, it's not enough to bring the temperature up as much as it should," said Michael Natolino a heating specialist.

Other readings throughout the building showed lower than acceptable temperatures.

"Whether or not my father and I stay here and renew our lease is one thing, but at least somebody will get the benefit. You don't know how much good you're doing by coming here and shedding some light. This makes us think that you've got our back," said Pina.