WHARTON, Texas – As temperatures continue to climb across Southeast Texas, some residents at the Pecan Village Apartments in Wharton say they have been living without power for days, forcing some seniors to sleep on cots inside the front office.
Tenants tell KPRC 2 the prolonged outage has left them without air conditioning, refrigeration, hot water and working elevators.
The City of Wharton say they have been working with property owners since last Friday to address the outage.
The city says local churches and community organizations have also stepped in, providing food, water and other donations to residents impacted by the outage.
Officials say management has offered hotel rooms to tenants, but assistance is limited to people listed on the lease.
Outside the apartment complex, residents shared their frustrations about the conditions they have been facing.
One resident told reporter Re’Chelle Turner the outage has been tough.
“Outdoors is my home.”
When asked how the situation had affected her, the resident responded:
“Mentally and physically but I’m real strong.”
Another resident described the challenges of living without basic necessities.
“There’s no power, no way to contain food, no way to cook, no hot water, no AC, and no heat. Oh, now you got me messed up,” she told Turner.
For resident Hosea Smalls, the outage has been especially difficult because he is caring for his 70-year-old mother.
Smalls said he has been doing everything he can to help her stay cool as temperatures rise.
“You see, I’m eating the icy, you know, just trying to stay cool, just trying to stay hydrated, drink a lot of water. It’s just, uh, it’s something to just keep an eye on my mom, you know,” he said.
Smalls said his mother has spent days sitting inside a vehicle because it was one of the few places where she could find relief from the heat.
Repairs underway
According to city officials, electricians have restored power to the first and second floors of the apartment complex.
Crews continue working to restore electricity to the third floor and the building’s main electrical system.
KPRC 2 visited the leasing office seeking answers from management. An employee referred questions to the property manager.
A phone call placed to the property manager was unsuccessful.
“Your call has been forwarded. The mailbox is full and can’t accept any messages at this time.”
Residents hope for relief before storms arrive
As the weekend approaches, residents say they are hoping power is fully restored before additional storms move through the area.
Smalls said he remains uncertain about how quickly conditions will improve.
“For getting us out this situation I don’t see it happening anytime soon.”
CenterPoint Energy told KPRC 2 it is working with property management and city leaders to fully restore power to the complex.
City officials also noted that the property received a score of 96 during its most recent HUD inspection in 2024.