Tenants at Detroit’s Alden Towers have been without heat for a month as conditions worsen - Detroit Metro Times

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Detroit's Alden Towers, a historic apartment complex built in 1922, is currently facing a crisis with tenants left without heat for over a month. The situation has escalated to the point where city officials have issued $2,000 fines daily until heat is restored and are exploring legal action against the owner.

The heat outage began on November 1st, just weeks after temperatures dropped, and was confirmed by the city's Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department (BSEED) on November 24th. Tenants have been forced to rely on space heaters to stay warm, which has raised concerns about safety and increased electricity bills.

According to BSEED spokesperson Georgette Johnson, the building management company was aware of isolated heat complaints in one tower but did not take action until after the city issued an emergency correction order. The owner, Alden Towers Holding Company LLC, claims that a failed boiler and circulation pump caused the outage, but tenants dispute this explanation.

The crisis is just one of many issues plaguing the complex. Tenants have reported broken elevators, mold, flooding, overflowing trash, roach infestations, and unsafe hallways. The building's history as a popular apartment complex has given way to neglect and deplorable conditions since its purchase by Alden Towers Holding Company LLC in 2019.

Residents say they are worried about the safety of using space heaters in the century-old building, which experienced a major fire just two years ago. With temperatures expected to plummet to single digits this weekend, tenants fear that the situation will worsen without immediate action from authorities.

The city's decision to issue fines daily until heat is restored has been criticized by some as too lenient. One long-time tenant said, "It's like being stuck. The city is kind of scared to hold them accountable because they don't want to scare away investors."
 
Man... this Alden Towers situation is totally insane 🤯. I mean, who lets heat go out for a month? It's just crazy. I feel bad for the tenants, they're stuck with no heat and can't do anything about it. And the fact that the owner is still making excuses instead of fixing the problem... ugh 😒. The city should be all over this, but at the same time, I get where they're coming from - you don't wanna scare off investors, right? But what's the point of having a building code if nobody's gonna enforce it? 🤔 It's just a nightmare for these people...
 
OMG, this is seriously heartbreaking 😩! Like, $2,000 daily fines and no heat for over a month? That's just not right 🚫. I'm all about affordable housing, but this building management company needs to step up their game ASAP 💪. Tenants are going through so much stress & it's affecting their mental health too 🤯. I think the city's fine is more than fair considering the safety concerns with space heaters 🔥. We need to see some serious changes in those conditions - elevators, mold, roaches... it's a ticking time bomb 🚨! The fact that they bought this building in 2019 & it's been neglected ever since is just appalling 😱. Can't we do better for our tenants? #JusticeForDetroitTenants #HeatEmergency #AffordableHousingMatters
 
OMG 🤯 this is so not cool for the tenants at Alden Towers... I mean, 2k a day in fines is steep, but I get why the city's being strict - safety first, you know? Those space heaters are a fire waiting to happen, especially with the building's history and stuff. It's like, what's going on with that building management company? They should've taken care of it ASAP instead of letting it escalate. And 2019 was already bad enough... now this heat crisis is just adding insult to injury 🤕
 
🤕 this is heartbreaking, $2000 daily fines still not getting heat to tenants, what's the point? 🚫 landlords are only looking out for their pockets, not tenants' well-being. need some serious investigation & enforcement on these building owners 👀
 
🚨🔥 this is a total fail on all levels... the owner just bought it in 2019 and already its a disaster 🤦‍♂️, $2k fines daily? thats not enough, should be shut down for good 👎. the fact that tenants have to deal with space heaters in a century old building is insane, safety first, not just some fancy business move 💸. and now they're blaming it on a failed boiler? come on 🙄, the city needs to take control of this situation ASAP ⏰.
 
Ugh, this Alden Towers crisis is just heartbreaking 🤕🏠 I mean, 2k a day in fines isn't enough for the tenants who are literally freezing their butts off. Can't the city do more? 🤔 Like, I get it, they need to find a way to hold the owner accountable, but $2000 a day is just not doing it. And what's up with the excuses from the owner? A failed boiler and circulation pump? Come on, that sounds like something out of a bad joke 😂.

And honestly, this isn't an isolated incident - there are all these other issues going on in the building too... broken elevators, mold, flooding... it's just gross 🚮. I feel for the tenants who have to deal with all this. They're not asking for much, just a safe and warm place to live. And what they get is a bunch of broken promises and broken heat 💔.

But you know what the worst part is? The owner is making bank off this mess 🤑. Like, investors are putting their money into this dump because it's a "good investment" or whatever... meanwhile the people who actually live here are suffering. It's just not right 😡.
 
I don’t usually comment but it’s crazy that the owner can just ignore all these safety concerns and neglect issues for so long... 2 grand a day isn’t much when you gotta freeze your butt off in that old building 🤯. The city should just go ahead and shut down the place till they fix everything. I mean, what's the point of having fines if it’s not gonna stop them? They need to prioritize the health & safety of those tenants ASAP ❤️.
 
this is so sad 🤕 what a disaster! first of all, heat should be a basic human right, not something you have to fight for. and these tenants have been without it for over a month? that's just outrageous. i'm really worried about the safety of using space heaters in an old building like this - fires can happen any day! and to think they've had issues with broken elevators, mold, flooding, trash overflow... it's like the owner is neglecting their responsibilities.

city officials should be taking a firmer stance on this. $2k fines might not seem like much, but when you're living in poverty, that's a huge burden. and some people are saying the city is being too lenient? i don't think so - they need to stand firm and hold the owner accountable for their actions.

these tenants deserve better. they deserve safe, warm, and clean housing. it's not like they're asking for much!
 
😒 This whole situation is just heartbreaking. I mean, you got tenants living in a historic building that's been neglected for years, and now the heat is out. It's not just about being uncomfortable, it's about safety. Those space heaters are a fire waiting to happen, especially with the building's history of major fires.

And what really gets me is the fact that the owner knows they're aware of isolated complaints but still didn't do anything until after the city stepped in. Like, how hard is it to fix a boiler or circulation pump? 🤷‍♀️ The owners need to take responsibility for this and actually do something about it.

The city should be taking action, not just issuing fines daily. It's not about scaring away investors; it's about protecting the tenants' basic human rights. They're basically being told to "suck it up" because the owners are too lazy or incompetent to do their job. It's ridiculous.
 
omg this is so messed up 🤯 the fact that ppl have b 4mld w/o heat 4 over a month is just crazy 💀 and its not like they r being kept in some kinda prison cell, its their home 😩 i cant even imagine having to use space heaters all day, its like, rite? and dont even get me started on the other issues 🚮🐜💧 like broken elevators and mold...like what r they doin with that money tho 💸? the city should b doin more 2 help these ppl out instead of just fining them daily 😕 i feel bad 4 those tenants who r stuck in this nightmare 🌑
 
Ugh, this Alden Towers situation is a total nightmare 🤯. I mean, 2k fine per day until heat is restored? That just seems like a slap in the wrist, you know? 🤔 I get that they're trying to encourage action, but it feels like it's not enough pressure on the owner to take responsibility for their mess.

I'm also super worried about the safety of all these tenants, especially with space heaters being used. It's crazy how one building can have so many problems - from broken elevators to roach infestations... it's like they just don't care anymore 😷. I mean, what happened after Alden Towers Holding Company LLC bought this place? Did the city even inspect the property before letting them take over? 🤔

It's not just about the heat, though - it's about the whole state of disrepair and neglect. It's like they're just collecting rent checks without doing anything to maintain the building or care for their tenants 🤑. I guess we'll have to wait and see how this plays out, but I'm keeping an eye on it for sure 👀.
 
omg this Alden Towers thing is super scary 🤕 i mean, can u imagine living in a 100 year old building with no heat for over a month? it's like something out of a horror movie 😱 my friends and i were talking about it in school yesterday and we all agreed that the city should do more to help the tenants. 2k fines daily is not enough, imo they need to take action ASAP so the people who live there aren't freezing to death 🥶 and btw, the fact that the owner is blaming a failed boiler for the whole thing just doesn't add up... like, come on, get your story straight! 😒
 
Ugh, another classic case of neglect and greed 🤦‍♀️. I mean, come on, a century-old building with a history as an iconic apartment complex turned into a death trap? It's not like the owner is trying to sabotage the whole thing, they just happen to be really bad at maintenance or something... 😒.

And don't even get me started on the fines 🤑. $2,000 a day is nothing compared to the amount of money the building would cost to renovate and fix all these issues. It's like the city is trying to make an example out of Alden Towers rather than actually helping the tenants who are suffering.

I also think it's kinda sad that the owner is blaming the failed boiler and circulation pump for the heat outage, when we all know that's just a smokescreen 🚮. The fact that they only took action after the city issued an emergency correction order tells me they knew something was wrong but didn't care.

Anyway, I hope the tenants get their heat back soon and that some real changes are made to this dump 💦.
 
Ugh, this Alden Towers thingy is a total disaster 🚨! I mean, can you believe they've been left without heat for over a month? It's like something out of a horror movie. And the fact that the owner is claiming it was just a failed boiler and pump... come on, that sounds like some dodgy excuse to me 🙄.

I'm all for holding people accountable when it comes to things like this, but $2,000 daily fines might be a bit harsh, you know? I mean, they're already struggling to make ends meet, the last thing they need is an extra $120,000 per day 💸. And what really gets my goat is that they're being let off the hook by some investors who don't want to rock the boat 🤯.

Tenants deserve so much better than this. They should be getting support and assistance, not fines and empty promises. And have you seen those pictures of the roach infestations? I mean, seriously... it's disgusting 🐜. The city needs to step up and do something about this ASAP.
 
this is so messed up 🤯 the building management company knew about heat issues but did nothing? and now its affecting people lives like this ❄️ 2000 dollars a day is nothing compared to the health risks and stress of living in freezing temperatures. tenants have been complaining about broken elevators, mold, and roaches for years and no one does anything about it 🤦‍♀️
 
🤕 "You can't control the wind, but you can adjust your sails" 💨 - No one person or entity has a monopoly on solutions. A collaborative effort between authorities, building management and tenants will surely lead to a resolution of this crisis 🔗💡
 
Ugh, my heart goes out to those tenants 😔. I mean, can you imagine not having heat for over a month? It's like they're living in the 1920s all over again! The fact that the owner is blaming it on a failed boiler and circulation pump just doesn't sit right with me 🤔. I've lived in plenty of old apartments myself, but never had to deal with stuff like this.

It's crazy how one company can mess up so badly and just leave people out in the cold (literally) 😓. The city needs to step in ASAP and make sure these tenants are safe and warm. And what's with all the other issues they're dealing with? Broken elevators, mold, flooding... it's like a never-ending nightmare 🌪️.

I'm not surprised that some people think the fine is too lenient, though 😕. I mean, come on, $2,000 a day is a lot of pressure to fix this in no time! Maybe if they just showed up and did some real work instead of playing it coy, things would get fixed faster 🙄. Anyway, my thoughts are with the tenants of Alden Towers – hope they get their heat back on soon ⚡️.
 
I just heard about this and its so sad 🤕 I mean, who wants to live in a place without heat for months? And the fact that the owner claims it was just a broken boiler but tenants dont believe them is just weird 🙄. Has anyone seen what they get up to with their profits? Its like theyre not even caring about the people living there 😒. I feel so bad for the tenants, especially with the other issues they have going on too... like broken elevators and mold 🚽💦. The city should totally step in and do something about it ASAP 💪🔥
 
🤕 This is just heartbreaking. I mean, a historic building like that should be taken care of. It's not fair to the tenants who are already struggling with their lives. I get it, mistakes happen but 1 month without heat? That's unacceptable. And what really gets me is that they knew there was an issue and did nothing about it until the city stepped in. The fines might seem harsh but at least someone's taking action. We need to make sure those tenants are safe and warm before we start worrying about "scaring away investors". It's time for some real accountability! 💡
 
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