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RRHA still fixing heating systems

4/19/2018, 6:16 p.m.
The Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority has restored heat to 318 apartments, but still has 93 units in various public …

The Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority has restored heat to 318 apartments, but still has 93 units in various public housing communities to complete, according to an update released last week.

The good news: The promised new baseboard heat in 78 Creighton Court units was installed at the end of March, while heating repairs also were completed in 240 apartments in five other communities, RRHA officials announced.

Orlando C. Artze, interim chief executive officer of the RRHA, released the numbers that show an additional 11 units were completed since his report to the authority’s board on March 26.

He noted that restoring heat in the remaining 93 units is taking longer because the work mostly includes the “replacement of blocked pipes that are preventing hot water from reaching radiators.”

“RRHA is looking to complete this work by Sunday, April 15, although it is likely some of the apartments will not be completed by that date,” he stated. “The authority is committed to completing repairs in every apartment.”

Along with making repairs, RRHA also has overhauled its policy and will now inspect heating systems in every unit between July and October in an effort to ensure repairs are made before the heating season begins, Mr. Artze said.

“While this maintenance procedure does not guarantee that every radiator in every apartment will work smoothly during the entire heating season,” he continued, “this will assist RRHA in identifying and correcting potential heating problems.” — JEREMY M. LAZARUS