OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) –It's been one month since KMTV reported on a Midtown apartment where tenants say its been two years since they had proper heat. Friday morning, a new furnace was installed and the heat was turned on.
- After four weeks, heat has been fixed at the Midtown apartment building
- Some tenants still don't have heat
- The owner has until Feb. 10 to fix the heat or the city will extend the 30 day notice
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
"What a relief to know that we will be able to just turn our thermostat on,” Jennifer Mischke said.
David Barenz and Mischke waited a long time for a warm home.
“It feels great, we can't believe it. They just started it now. It's been a long time coming,” she said. “We have waited and waited and finally."
When the KMTV team first met these two in early January, they had to use their oven and space heaters to heat their home
That story prompted a visit from city inspectors who confirmed the apartment was too cold and issued an order to fix the heat.
That was four weeks ago. While Barenz waited for repairs, temperatures dipped into single digits outside and below 40 degrees inside one morning.
But Friday morning, one month after we first met the couple, the heat was finally on. They could turn off the space heaters and ovens.
“Thank you so much,” Mischke said.
But this isn't where the story ends.
KMTV uncovered more about the property management company and its owner.
The building is part of Wise Owl Properties.
According to public records, a man named Mark Habibi, who lives in California owns or is part owner of it and other local properties.
KMTV spoke with him Friday morning.
He told us he’s not a slumlord and claimed the heat to all the units in the building is repaired.
But KMTV spoke with the city inspections office. A representative told our team that permits have been pulled for work to be done but that some units still don't have working heat.
Feb. 10 is the deadline for repairs.
Omaha inspections told me some of the apartments have mechanical permits and contractors are working to get heat in them.
City staff will know next week if they need to extend the 30-day notice.
KMTV will continue to follow this story.
