Heating issues remain at an East Greenville apartment complex. This week, a second contractor has been hired to help repair the warming system at the Willows, located at 401 West Fourth St.

            A crew from the new company arrived at the property on Monday, working until 9 p.m. to help the property management company towards a long-term solution, according to an email message from Mary French, the president of Ingerman Management, based in southern New Jersey. It states that the management company has reached out to other contractors.

            "We continue to work diligently with experts in the area focused on resolution," French wrote.

           Residents from three of the four impacted units—where the temperature is consistently below 65 degrees Fahrenheit—are living in hotels at no cost to them. Inhabitants of the fourth apartment have voluntarily not been in the building, according to the message.

            Ingerman has credited impacted residents with one month's rent for January. The company has committed to reimbursing them for electricity overages in January and February. Residents have also been offered additional space heaters, as needed, according to the email.

            "[They] are not being dissuaded from keeping their units comfortable," French wrote.

            Ingerman employees continue to check the temperatures in all impacted units at least twice daily, and are tracking what units have concerning lows, according to the message. It states that impacted residents have been provided with a direct email to the owners of the apartments that are monitored regularly.

            The property maintenance company will continue to offer to pay for hotel stays for all impacted residents until a permanent solution is identified, according to the French. She wrote that it will continue to connect with all contractors willing to look at the system until a solution has been identified and implemented.

            The complex utilizes a Samsung high-efficiency system that appears to be complicated and complex. One system supplies multiple apartments and spaces, according to information provided by Jim Fry, East Greenville's manager and code enforcement officer.

            Approximately one quarter of the complex's 71 units were initially affected by a problem with the heating system. Borough officials learned of the issue in December, according to Manager Jim Fry.

            "The primary focus right now is on ensuring the safety and comfort of this community with clear communication to every impacted resident," French wrote.

            On Jan. 29, Fry cited the property owner for violating East Greenville's property maintenance code. A letter, posted on the inside set of doors at the apartment's main entrance, references two ordinances: failure to provide and maintain mechanical and electrical facilities and failure to provide heating facilities that maintain a room temperature of 68 degrees.

            The community's new ownership—identified by French as MRK Partners, Inc, a company based in Los Angeles, Cal.—became aware of the heating situation the afternoon of Thursday, January 29, the day it assumed ownership, according to an email message received last week.

            After checking the property, Fry claims he was informed that repairs were done and the heat was working. In an email message received Jan. 30, the manager wrote that he received a few more complaints from tenants within the last two weeks.

            Fry reported last month that crews at the community replaced three compressors, then multiple sensors, then a control board. The heat was working that day, according to the manager.

            According to French's email message, each of the families that opted to relocate to the hotel has access to free continental breakfast and was provided gift cards to offset take-out dining that might be necessary during this time. French wrote that all affected units have received high-efficiency space heaters to ensure safe internal temperatures.

            Flyers were posted in the affected wing with emergency numbers and contact information should residents need access to management during non-business hours. It states the building's common areas remain fully heated and staffed, serving as a warm, safe hub for the community.

            Municipal officials are scheduled to inspect the Willows every three years, according to Fry, who serves as the borough's code enforcement officer. On Aug. 1, 2024, he claims to have identified a faulty smoke alarm, a sink trap problem, and a faulty GFCI receptacle. He wrote that a reinspection found the items to be corrected.