Wharton Seniors Swelter On Lobby Cots After Days In The Dark

Sweating through the June heat, residents at Pecan Village Apartments in Wharton say they have gone days without electricity, and some elderly tenants have been bedding down on cots in the leasing office just to cool off. Tenants report no air conditioning, no refrigeration or hot water, and elevators that will not run, leaving people with mobility needs effectively stranded on upper floors. With more storms forecast later this week, neighbors and local leaders say the extended outage has turned into an urgent health concern.

Eyewitnesses told ABC13 that some residents have been sleeping on cots in the lobby and that people who use wheelchairs remain stuck upstairs because the elevators are inoperable. ABC13 also reported that several tenants were initially placed in hotel rooms but were later told to leave over the weekend, and attempts to reach management have so far gone unanswered. Residents told the station they are worried about spoiled food, medical equipment that requires power, and the toll the heat is taking on older tenants.

According to KPRC, the City of Wharton has been working with the property's owners since last Friday, and local churches and community organizations have been delivering water, food, and other donations to impacted residents. City officials told KPRC that property managers offered hotel rooms but limited that assistance to people listed on the lease, and that CenterPoint Energy is coordinating with management and city leaders to restore power. A call to the property manager went unanswered, and callers said the voicemail was full and would not accept new messages.

Repairs Moving Forward While Top Floor Waits In The Heat

City officials told KPRC that electricians have restored power to the first and second floors while crews continue to work on the third floor and the building's main electrical system. One tenant told the station, "Outdoors is my home," while others described the "mental and physical" strain of days without cooling, refrigeration, and hot water. Resident Hosea Smalls said he has been trying to keep his 70-year-old mother cool and hydrated, sometimes sitting with her in a vehicle and handing her ice.

The same city officials noted the property received a HUD inspection score of 96 in 2024, a detail KPRC included when reporting the response. Residents say that high mark has not changed their immediate reality. For now, donations and limited hotel offers have helped some people, but tenants say clearer communication, faster repairs, and what they view as fair relocation rules are needed if outages linger. City and utility leaders say they are working to restore service, and residents are hoping the work wraps up before more storms roll through.