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AC is 'fully operational' at senior living facility despite residents' claims

Seniors citizens living in a Melbourne high-rise are still suffering without air conditioning, Eyewitness News has confirmed.
Channel 9’s Field Sutton reported Friday that the company that runs Trinity Tower East Towers said it was going to get the air conditioning fixed and that some of the air was working late Friday night. However, several people contacted Eyewitness News to say the AC was still not working.
The air conditioning problems began back in May. The owner of the facility, Preservation of Affordable Housing, told Eyewitness News that it was completing emergency repairs and everything would be fine.
Eyewitness News found out various components of the decades-old air conditioning system at Trinity Towers East had failed, one after the other.
The company said it's doing its best to get things fixed.
However, it’s so hot inside the building, Eyewitness News has learned, that several of the seniors who live there have been taken to the hospital to be treated for heat exhaustion because the building was so hot.
Pat Conte, who lives on the 14th floor, said she’s struggling to keep her apartment at 80 degrees.
“Since this lady, Trish, brought fans and water and everything to help us and I brought a fan up here, it cooled it off a little bit more,” Conte said.
The building is under Section 8 contact with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. An official with HUD sent an email Tuesday that the air conditioning was fixed late Friday and has continued without interruption since Sunday morning at 9 o’clock.
They said in the email that they became aware of the air conditioning issues on June 27 and said they have since been in communication with representatives of the property owners.
The air conditioning mechanical system that serves the tower has two 50-ton compressors, according to HUD officials. One of the compressors failed in May. The second one failed on June 13 and was replaced by July 1, officials said.
Renovations on the tower are expected to begin this fall. The upgrades will include the removal of the AC mechanical plant and distribution center, officials said Tuesday in an email.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — HUD has regulations and guidance for tenants living in HUD-subsidized housing. For detailed information please visit:  http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/groups/tenants

Officials said if tenants are not getting a fast response from the property manager at Trinity Towers East & West, people can file complaints to a HUD contractor. The contractor is North Tampa Housing Development Corporation; phone number: 800-982-5232

HUD said it received several complaints June 27.

The manager refused to answer questions when Sutton showed up at the property.

Late Tuesday evening after both of Eyewitness News reports, the company who runs the tower released a statement:

"In 2013, POAH acquired Trinity Towers from the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church of Melbourne, which had owned these three senior housing properties for over 40 years.

The air conditioning mechanical system that serves Trinity Towers East is an original 100 ton York Chiller and air sourced cooling tower. Due to its age, the current system has experienced an unexpected number of mechanical problems recently requiring a considerable investment.

In the first instance, an electrical surge caused one of two 50-ton compressors to fail.  A replacement compressor was ordered and subsequently installed through our service company.  This work was concluded at a cost of $30,000.

On June 13, 2016 the second of the two compressors failed, possibly due to the burden of operating independently while the repairs were made on the first compressor. A replacement for the second 50-ton compressor was ordered and delivered to the property. It is important to note that during the period when the repairs were being made the first compressor was operational and providing cool air while work continued on the second compressor.

Repairs were completed that allowed the system to deliver cool air to all of the units on Trinity Towers East by Friday at midnight. Additional adjustments were made to further improve the system on Sunday morning. Nonetheless, the system was operating and delivering proper cooling to the residents all weekend long. The cost to replace both compressors and other components are estimated at more than $65,000.

We have not received any additional reports from residents regarding the air conditioning.

POAH Communities believes the new compressors; the doubling down of the preventive maintenance and the fact that we are aggressively maintaining the system will provide residents with comfortable interior temperatures until the new system is installed as part of the yearlong rehab that will commence in September.  POAH maintenance staff members are at this time visiting each one of the apartments checking their individual units, and changing and cleaning out the filters to make sure that the residents are getting the cool air that the system is delivering.

This past Spring, POAH completed the first phase of the renovations with Trinity Towers West.  The $9 million renovation of this 17-story building includes all new kitchens and baths, windows, roof replacement, flooring upgrades, energy efficiency measures, and a new air conditioning system. A number of health and fire safety upgrades were added, including pull cords in the bedrooms.

POAH Trinity Towers East will be undertaking a substantial renovation expected to start in September 2016.  The scope of work includes the removal of the entire AC mechanical plant and distribution system within the subsequent 8 -10 months & the installation of a brand new system similar to that at Trinity Towers West.

POAH is in constant communication with HUD and all of our finance partners."

Eyewitness News reporter Field Sutton is following this developing story.
The heat index is expected to reach more than 100 degrees, click here to get a forecast near you.

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