JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Residents in the Valencia Way apartment complex in Jacksonville said they haven't been able to cook dinner or take a warm shower in their apartments for nearly two weeks.
"I can't say the words I want to say about it without going to church," resident Gail Thomas said. "It isn't right."
According to management at the complex, gas was turned off 12 days ago while three vendors work to find and fix a gas leak in gas lines underground.
Millennia Housing Development, which owns the complex, said it doesn't have a clear timeline as to when things will be back to normal. It said it's in "crisis response mode" right now.
"We don't know when it's going to get fixed," Thomas said. "They don't know. All we can do is wait and pray and hope."
Management set up three portable shower units for the neighbors to use, has supplied food for residents and ordered double electric burners that were set to arrive Saturday, but had not gotten to the complex by Saturday night.
The updates have been noted in letters to residents.
One of the letters, provided by tenants, states:
"Millennia Housing Management, Ltd. is working closely with TECO Energy as we make the necessary repairs to the natural gas lines that serve the Valencia Way community ... We apologize for this interruption. To minimize inconveniences, we are focused on helping to meet your needs as they arise during this time."
The letters also said showers are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., and a security team member is assigned to monitor the stations. According to the letters, pizza has been provided for residents as one of the meals, and management is working to provide meals in larger quantities.
Councilman Garrett Dennis, who serves the district these residents live in, said it's not enough.
“They [management] don’t want anything tragic to happen," Dennis said. "You have to understand, this is a life safety issue, however on the flip side, from what TECO shared with me on Friday, if work began yesterday, the best-case scenario would be four weeks. Four weeks without gas, no hot water, no way to cook."
Dennis said, “This is something that not just the residents here need to be focused on. These are taxpayer dollars this place has been subsidized with our hard-earned taxpayer dollars and we need to do something quickly."
Residents said it's more than just an inconvenience and they want answers.
"We are in the dark," Thomas said. "We know they're trying to help us the best they know how, but it just isn't enough. I want to call a resident meeting so the tenants can know exactly what's going on with this gas line because we're in the dark."
Management said it's open to setting up an in-person resident meeting. Dennis and Senator Audrey Gibson called the state’s Surgeon General Saturday about the complex, and a team is expected to assess the situation soon.