Williamsburg, NY – Jewish Residents Fuming over Gas Shut Off

Williamsburg, NY – Residents of one of the six Independence Towers buildings in Williamsburg were notified by the New York City Housing Authority on February 14 that their gas would be turned off for an indeterminate number of days. But now, after nine days have gone by, all 122 households at 125 Taylor Street are still without gas.

“It’s ridiculous,” said Pamela Cowherd, a resident of the building for 10 years, who rallied other residents to demand an explanation from the Housing Authority. “Then the superintendent told me that it would take as long as six months to one year to turn back on, I thought he was joking.”

According to NYCHA, the gas was turned off in the building after a staff member noticed that there was a leak in the overhead supply line in the basement. The Housing Authority distributed hot plates later on that night to every household but never gave them a specific timeline as to when the gas would be turned back on.

On Thursday night, NYCHA staff members, along with Councilman Stephen Levin, met with the residents in the lobby of the building to field their concerns, and promised that the situation would be resolved as quickly as possible.

Senior Deputy Director of NYCHA, Michael Rosen, said that it will take about four to five weeks for the gas to be turned back on.

But for residents, that’s not soon enough. The building’s 80 percent Jewish population is worried about how they will cook and obtain food, given that two major holidays are coming up – Purim, on March 7 and Passover, on April 6.

“It costs me six times the amount to go out and buy cooked food,” said one resident. “Who has money for that? These are middle-income people.”

Another resident who gave his name as J. Stark, said that buying food will cost him a fortune.

“Kosher food is extremely expensive, cooked chicken for a family is triple the normal amount,” he said. “For Purim we have to buy special food and cook and that will cost a fortune.”

And many residents on Thursday night said that they were either burned or shocked when attempting to turn on the hot plates. One elderly resident, Daniel, was shocked so bad, he said he hit the floor twice.

Levin said that he will try to work with the chairman of NYCHA to compensate residents, whether it be in the form of a rent abatement or a debit card enabling them to buy food they normally eat.