Soundview High-Rise Boils Over After Sudden Power Cut

On June 23, residents of Story Towers in Soundview say the building’s electricity was shut off without warning, leaving people sweating in stifling apartments and, in some cases, sick from the heat. Tenants described propping open doors to get any air moving as fans and elevators went useless in the dark. The sudden outage - followed by a confusing email about switching electric service - set off outrage and urgent questions about who was to blame: the landlord, building management or the utility.

Residents told News 12 New York that a Con Edison notice posted months earlier mentioned an unpaid electric bill of more than $1 million, and that on the same day as the blackout they received an email from a third-party utility asking tenants to sign up for service. Building management declined to comment to News 12 about either the outage or that email, and power was later restored, according to the station’s report. Even with service back on, tenants told the outlet they remain worried the whole ordeal could repeat itself.

What Con Edison says

Con Edison tells customers that cutting service is a last resort and says the company offers payment agreements, short-term extensions and discount programs to help households stay connected, according to the utility’s payment-assistance page. Those options include budget billing, payment plans and an Energy Affordability Program that may reduce bills for eligible households. That guidance lays out the kinds of relief that exist but does not say whether the unpaid balance in this case was tied to the building owner or to the specific account that was disconnected.

Tenants demand answers

Tenants told News 12 New York they were left in the dark figuratively as well as literally, unsure who was responsible for the bill and whether management had been talking with Con Edison at all. Some residents said they needed medical attention for heat-related symptoms after the shutdown. The third-party email urging them to sign up for service only deepened distrust, they said, leaving many unsure whether their apartments might be cut off again with little or no warning.

According to News 12, building management declined to answer reporters’ questions, and tenants said they now expect management or local elected officials to step up with a clear public explanation of what happened and what comes next.

Broader context

Advocates and researchers have warned that utility shutoffs across Con Edison’s service territory have increased in recent years, putting low-income households at higher risk during heat waves. Reporting from The Guardian has documented tens of thousands of disconnections and quoted a Con Edison spokesperson saying termination is used only after outreach and other options are exhausted. Tenants and housing advocates say sudden outages in large multifamily buildings like Story Towers highlight the need for clearer notice rules and stronger coordination between landlords, utilities and city agencies.

For now, residents say they plan to keep pressing management for documentation on the building’s electric account and want elected officials and city housing agencies to weigh in. News 12’s coverage captured the immediate fallout, and tenants told the station they will attend upcoming meetings and may file formal complaints if they do not get straightforward answers. This story will be updated if management, the utility or city officials provide further details.