Cedar Glen check-in ahead of extreme temperatures

SOUTH BEND, Ind.— As the temperature drops, worries are rising for tenants at South Bend’s Cedar Glen Apartments.

Residents have complained about a lack of heat and hot water on and off for nearly three years.

Now, new ownership and a settlement later, residents say they are still repeating the same concerns.

ABC57 first reported on the issues in 2023.

Wednesday, a heating and cooling repair truck was seen at the complex, but ABC57 has still not been able to talk to any staff members or get ahold of the property management company after all these years.

“Look, I’m 83 years old. You think I have time for this?” said Willie Waters, a Cedar Glen resident.

Waters says he has lived at the complex since 2022 and is now planning to move after years of struggles.

“Cause the thing of it is, fix your building. Can’t fix it close it down, you know, that’s the bottom line,” Waters said.

Another resident, Stacy Kaminski, says her spotty heat is currently working, but she still relies on a space heater and has to boil water to shower and wash dishes.

“No one should have to go through this. We pay our hard-earned money,” Kaminski said.

ABC57 first visited Kaminski last winter. While she no longer washes dishes in the tub, she says she is still in constant fear of the outdated system breaking down again during a time of need.

“When I get in the shower, I’m like screaming. I’m like screaming, cussing, hurry up wash up and put on my clothes. It’s bad,” Kaminski said.

She is calling for an end to what feels like a never-ending saga.

“Every single winter has been either no heat, no hot water. And they claim they wanna fix it, but it never gets done. It doesn’t seem like it gets done, but then it breaks again,” she said.

ABC57 reached out to the president of the South Bend Tenant Association, who is aware of the complaints.

The Portage Township Trustee is also aware and says residents experiencing issues need to file formal complaints.

The trustee’s office said they have investigated all the complaints they’ve received so far have not uncovered any cases with a prolonged lack of utilities.