TRAVERSE CITY — Residents of a building at the Boardman Lake Apartments in Traverse City are without heat following a boiler failure on Wednesday. Management has provided space heaters to affected tenants while maintenance crews work to resolve the issue.
This is the second heating outage to occur at the apartment complex this winter. A neighboring building previously lost heat for more than a month during a stretch of extreme cold, leading to significant concerns among residents regarding rising electric bills and the timeline for permanent repairs.
Maintenance crews were reportedly working on the boiler system when residents began arriving home on Wednesday. Management distributed space heaters to affected units as it became clear the heating system had failed. While some residents noted that the space heaters are effective at keeping their apartments warm, others expressed concern regarding the safety and cost of the units.
The current situation has heightened anxieties for tenants who watched a neighboring building at the complex deal with a similar outage earlier this winter. That previous failure occurred during a period of extreme cold and lasted for more than a month. Residents in that building reported that they used blankets and blocked off drafts around windows and doors to maintain temperatures while relying on space heaters.
The primary concern for many tenants is the impact of space heater use on their utility bills. During the previous outage, residents reported that their electric costs increased significantly. One resident indicated that their bill doubled within two weeks compared to the previous month. Current tenants fear they will face similar financial burdens without a clear compensation plan.
Management officials stated during a phone call that they have established a reimbursement plan and reached out to affected renters.
According to management, no tenants have accepted the offer or utilized the plan yet. However, multiple residents in the building reported that they have not been informed of any reimbursement options or specific financial assistance from the apartment office.
Staff members have been working late into the evening to coordinate repairs with outside vendors. Management described the boiler failure as a difficult situation and stated that the maintenance team is working as quickly as possible to address the mechanical issues.
There has been no confirmation regarding whether the electrical costs for the space heaters will be directly credited to tenant accounts.
There is currently no firm date for when the heating system will be fully restored to the building. Management estimates for the repairs range from one week to one month. Staff will continue to coordinate with vendors to complete the necessary mechanical work.