LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-It’s been three months and people are still living without gas at the Big Country Chateau Apartments in Little Rock.
While some progress has been made there are still several units that don’t have hot water and working appliances.
On Monday, a new lawyer appeared in court and the judge gave the property owner 30 more days to fix the problem.
Zambia Ford is a mother of five kids and says the gas problem has been going on for too long.
On top of not having working utilities, she says management ignores phone calls and messages but harrases her when it’s time to pay rent.
Ford says she and several others are tired of being disrespected.
“I just don’t understand,” Ford said.
Frustration and Anger continue to grow for Zambia Ford.
“I’ve been in my apartment now since September the16th with no gas,” Ford said.
On October 14th, the property manager pleaded not guilty for failing to install and maintain utilities at the complex.
Since then lawyers representing the complex have been in court four times.
“This is the third lawyer that is representing Big Country he didn’t even have time to talk to the tenants that live in the apartments that don’t have no gas,” Ford said.
Families had the option to move to another unit at the complex, move out or stay until the gas is restored.
Ford says the other units are nasty with deplorable living conditions.
“Why should I have to move my family into the filth that they want us to clean up on our own and that’s not what I’m in now then you want me to pay rent for that,” Ford said.
Renters showed Fox 16 a copy of an eviction notice they got two weeks ago.
“Since October the 1st I have not paid any rent and I will not continue to pay rent as long as I have no gas,” Ford said.
“I have to feed my family I got little kids that I have to provide for and make sure they take baths and cook for,” she said.
Ford says the City, along with Code Enforcement officers need to take action and help out.
“Like now it’s supposed to get down to 28 degrees my kids have a chance to get sick I have a chance to get sick and then people like why you just staying out there who you not moving it’s not that easy for me.”
At Monday’s court hearing the lawyer representing the complex says gas will be restored to part of Building 6 by the end of this week.
But there is no set timeline on the rest of the building.
The next court hearing is January 27th.
