Millions of dollars going toward addressing major gas leak at Yonkers housing complex
Officials are getting one step closer to repairing a major utility outage at a housing complex in Yonkers. It has left hundreds of families unable to use their stoves for nearly five months.
Officials are getting one step closer to repairing a major utility outage at a housing complex in Yonkers.
It has left hundreds of families unable to use their stoves for nearly five months.
This happened at the Palisade Towers complex off of Schroeder Street during the last week of August 2024.
A series of leaks in the main gas line were discovered.
Residents in all the buildings have not been able to use their stoves since
They have been given hot plates and convection ovens for cooking.
"You got to use your imagination. Everyone has to use their own mentality to adjust while this gets fixed," says Palisade Towers resident, Victor Mairena.
City officials have been working to transfer things over from gas to electric.
The cost to do that is about $18 million, according to city officials.
The Municipal Housing Authority for the City of Yonkers has already been given about $10 million.
On Wednesday, Westchester County announced it's contributing $4.6 million.
"It's a great start, we are so thrilled and honored to have everyone here pulling in the same direction for our city and tenants. We're literally looking under every rock and working the system to the best of our ability," says President and CEO of the Municipal Housing Authority for the City of Yonkers, Wilson Kimball.
Officials say repairing the gas line would have been even more expensive and disruptive to residents.
Wednesday coverage
They're hoping to start placing the new stoves in one of the buildings within the next 60 to 90 days. The goal is to have all the new stoves in place by the end of the year, but officials say that depends on a lot of factors like funding.
Some residents tell News 12 they are fed up with how long this is taking.
"Thanksgiving and Christmas was a mess, I had to bring stuff to my job and sister's house to cook it. It's not a way to live," says Palisade Towers resident, Jonathan Smith.
Other say they understand the holdup and are practicing patience.
"Nothing happens overnight, you got to go with the flow," Mairena explains.
