We have an update about a Jacksonville woman who contacted the "Ask Anthony" team for help because she was without air conditioning for more than a month.
On Monday, Carol Russell's thermostat said it was 86 degrees inside her apartment. Russell lives at the Mayfair Village Apartments off Beach Boulevard. She says the A/C unit broke in July and she had been waiting for it to get repaired. After six weeks, she had enough of the heat and contacted the "Ask Anthony" team for help.
After we interviewed Russell, her air conditioner was replaced the next day.
"Immediately after the interview, the next day they came and they said your air conditioner will be replaced on today," Carol Russell said.
While reporting on this issue, we discovered that landlords in Florida are not required to provide A/C to tenants. But, they are required to provide heat. Recently, two lawmakers tried to pass new legislation to make A/C a requirement, but it failed. In the past two days, the "Ask Anthony" team has reached out to our state lawmakers about this issue.
The assistants of Senator Tracie Davis and Representative Dean Black sent the "Ask Anthony" team responses that they're looking into the matter.
Representative Angie Nixon, who represents District 13, actually sent a response. She said in an email to the "Ask Anthony" team:
"Unfortunately, there was a bill that limited a ton of tenant protections that just passed. But, I think I may file legislation around this issue."
We will keep you updated. If you have a problem you can't solve, you can email askanthony@firstcoastnews.com.