LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) – You ask, we listen. Tonight, a viewer wants answers about the air conditioning unit at the Jesse Powell Towers in Little Rock.
She claims it's not working, so we went to the Little Rock Housing Authority with her concern.
Built in the 1970s, Jesse Powell Towers is a part of the multi-million-dollar renovation project to improve public housing units in downtown Little Rock.
"We are currently on the final stage of implementing our redevelopment of the rock for the towers,” Dana Arnette, the deputy executive director said.
Major renovations are underway, including plans to replace the plumbing and cooling systems. However, a resident reached out to THV11 saying the air conditioning hasn't been working since Aug. 10.
“Our backup chiller is currently cooling the building and it does not cool at the capacity that the main chiller cools the building, but it does cool,” Arnette said.
Arnette said residents were all informed that a part of the main chiller malfunctioned and that it would take a few weeks to fix the problem.
“We had to actually go through our procurement process, which HUD requires that we do. Then, once we went through that, we ordered the part and they're in the process of making it at this time," Arnette said.
The viewer, however, said residents were informed that the part was expected to arrive several weeks ago, but didn't.
“It's four to five weeks out from when we ordered it and that was the best that they could do and we did communicate that to the residents," Arnette said.
The housing authority says it will provide fans to any resident who feels uncomfortable.