Tensions are high for residents in San Antonio as more than 600 apartment units saw their water cut off due to the property managers' unpaid bills, leaving people scrambling in situations where basic needs are compromised. The shutoff occurred at four complexes, including Roselawn Apartments and Westwood Plaza Apartments, both owned by LA-based Pico Union Housing Corp, Serenity Residences, and a collection of units on West Magnolia Avenue, which according to the San Antonio Report were restored except for a few by closing time Tuesday.
While Pico Union Housing Corp owes SAWS more than $241,000 for Roselawn and Westwood Plaza apartments, unpaid bills for Serenity Residences and the properties on Magnolia Avenue are around $50,000 and $10,000, respectively, records show the gravity of the situation is quite clear with the sheer numbers as they spell a chronic delay in payment and lack of negotiation resulting in this dramatic measure. Brenda Olguin, a resident at Westwood Plaza, told the San Antonio Report how this outage has affected her daily life, saying, "I hope they turn the water back on soon because I don’t like this," emphasizing the disruption faced by those caught in the middle.
An office staffer at Serenity Residences reported to the San Antonio Report that the water was back running in their complex, citing a "misunderstanding" in communication with the city as the cause for the initial disconnection, while property owner Patrick Duke argued a similar point of "miscommunication" with SAWS, stating he'd made a payment on Tuesday morning—a claim disputed by the utility. Anne Hayden, SAWS Communications Director, expressed frustration with the continuing issue: “He keeps saying he made it but won’t provide a receipt. He keeps playing games and misrepresenting information,” she said.
Marina Alderete Gavito, Councilwoman for District 7, voiced her disagreement with the action taken by SAWS, arguing that the disconnection of these residents was a punitive non-solution: "The actions of SAWS lack compassion for our tenants who are unable to defend themselves in cases like these," she told the San Antonio Report, highlighting the dilemma faced by individuals who have been paying their bills but are still finding themselves in hardship. The situation escalated to such that it strained city resources, as simultaneous disconnections across the city meant aid from city departments was spread too thin, Gavito said, suggesting a more staggered approach would have been preferable.
