BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Buffalo lawmaker is calling on the city to explore new protections for tenants after dozens of residents at The Forge apartments on Broadway lost running water last month when their landlord failed to pay more than $37,000 in overdue water bills.
7 News previously reported Buffalo Water shut off the water supply to The Forge on Aug. 13th after the landlord, The Forge LLC, failed to pay despite receiving 13 "past due" bills and six additional notices from Buffalo Water as part of their arrears capture program.
The area's councilmember, Leah Halton-Pope, said the shutoff raised serious concerns about protections for vulnerable residents, including notification procedures and policies.
"These are quality of life issues, so when The Forge got shut off you had seniors without water, you had parents with children without water, you had people with disabilities without water," Halton-Pope explained.
The Ellicott District representative introduced a resolution asking the city to explore ways to ensure landlords of occupied multiple dwellings are paying their utility bills. She is also asking whether Buffalo Water has policies on notifying tenants when a landlord has not paid.
"What does the city have in place to make sure the residents don't lose services. Do we have any authority to do anything about that?" Halton-Pope queried.
In the case of The Forge apartments, tenants were only notified on the day of the shutoff via a notice posted on the lobby door.
WATCH: Buffalo councilmember pushes for tenant protections after apartment water shutoff
Some tenant protections already exist under New York Public Service law, which requires utility companies to provide 15 days' notice to occupants and specified government officials. However, that law applies only to gas, electric and steam.
I asked the mayor's office if Buffalo Water informed them of the shutoff at The Forge. They told me that nobody received official correspondence of the shutoff.
Halton-Pope said that lack of communication is unacceptable.
"It's not okay that the mayor wasn't aware, or at least somebody in his office wasn't made aware they [Buffalo Water] were about to do something like this," Halton-Pope said.
The resolution was adopted by the council. The city's law department has 30 days to respond.
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