Now we’re cooking!
The city turned on the gas at a Taylor Street public housing tower this weekend after interrupting service for two weeks and warning residents they might have to cook with hot plates for as long as a year.
Residents at Independence Towers claim a New York City Public Housing Authority worker told them the gas would be off for six months to a year while contractors repaired a basement gas leak and distributed electric burners to 122 households.
A spokeswoman for the city agency said the repairs would take three to five weeks, but tenants were fired up, complaining the city-provided burners did not heat up their food properly and burnt their pans.
The angry residents found allies in state Sen. Dan Squadron (D–Williamsburg), District Leader Lincoln Restler (D–Williamsburg), and Councilman Steve Levin (D–Williamsburg), who urged the city to speed up the repairs.
City workers repaired the gas line on March 4.
Reach reporter Aaron Short at ashort@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-2547.
