The Marion County Health Department has taken legal action against Irvington Lofts for not providing heat to residents, an issue that has persisted for years according to residents. The heating and cooling system is currently being replaced at a cost of around $250,000 per building, with the South building expected to be repaired by November 30th. In the meantime, residents are using space heaters to stay warm, which has raised concerns about fire danger.
This recent outage follows a two-week power outage that prompted the Marion County Public Health Department to intervene and take legal action. While residents affected by the power outage were eventually provided with hotels and received a $300 discount on their November rent, those dealing with the heat outage have not been compensated. Fran Quigley of the Health and Human Rights Clinic at Indiana University McKinney School of Law suggested that resident rights are being violated and they should take action by contacting the Marion County Health Department and seeking assistance from Indiana Legal Services.
According to records from the Marion County Health Department, it has issued 9 violations to Irvington Lofts so far this year, 7 of which are heat related. Irvington Lofts management stated that they are working with the health department to address the issue, and in addition to $150 off of their December rent as a repayment for the loss of food, residents will also receive a permanent solution to the recurring heating issues. Despite this, residents continue to voice their frustration over the ongoing problem.