Braving the Cold: A 68-Year-Old Woman Without Heat for Over Two Months in Atlanta
ATLANTA — In the heart of Atlanta, a 68-year-old resident, Malika B. Abdul-Halim, is facing a chilling crisis. As temperatures drop below freezing, she’s been left shivering in her apartment at the 1890 Adams House Apartments for more than two months without a functioning heating system. With no relief in sight, Abdul-Halim’s situation is becoming increasingly desperate.
Reliant on a portable heater and her oven for warmth, she’s resorted to methods that fire safety experts strongly advise against. “Using the oven to heat your home is just not safe,” a fire official warned, but for Abdul-Halim, it has become her only choice. Despite multiple attempts to reach out to property management since October, she says, “I’ve been promised heat, but I don’t have no heat.” Her frustration is palpable. “They say they care about their tenants, but I’m freezing in my own home.”
Desperate Measures
As the Atlanta temperature dipped below 30 degrees recently, Abdul-Halim expressed prayerful hope about enduring the cold nights. “I pray to Allah that I make it to the next morning without anything happening,” she said. Tragically, her apartment often feels colder inside than the frigid air outside.
Abdul-Halim’s routine has turned into a battle against the cold. She layers on jackets, warms herself with a portable heater, and occasionally uses her oven—although she takes care to turn it off at night to avoid danger. “I’ll make it,” she insists, displaying a spirit of resilience, “I just don’t want to be frozen in this apartment.”
Attempts for Help Foiled
Getting the help she needs has proved to be an uphill struggle. Attempts to contact the apartment complex’s leasing office have been met with silence. When she reached out, she was greeted with a recorded message explaining how to report problems with heating. Ironically, her call to report the issue ran into further obstacles. “They’ve temporarily disabled the option,” she said with a sigh of disbelief.
On a night when cold weather shelters were closed, Abdul-Halim remained stuck in her chilly apartment. Her ongoing battle against the biting cold is a testament to her willpower, but it raises several red flags about the living conditions at the 1890 Adams House Apartments.
City Officials Step In
Fortunately, it seems relief is on the way with city officials announcing that shelters will be opening for the next few nights to help those in need, like Abdul-Halim. Starting Thursday, December 5, 2024, the following warming centers will open:
- Thursday, December 5, 2024: 8:00 p.m. – Friday, December 6, 10:00 a.m.
- Friday, December 6: 8:00 p.m. – Saturday, December 7, 11:00 a.m.
- Saturday, December 7: 8:00 p.m. – Sunday, December 8, 9:00 a.m.
The designated centers will be at:
- Central Park Recreation Center at 400 Merritts Ave. NE, Atlanta 30308
- Old Adamsville Recreation Center at 3404 Delmar Ln NW, Atlanta, GA 30331
Fulton County will also provide transportation from the Gateway Center at 8:00 p.m. nightly, ensuring that those without heat can have a safe place to escape the bitter temperatures.
Spotlight on the Issue
As 11Alive continues to track Abdul-Halim’s plight, her story shines a spotlight on the pressing issue of inadequate heating in rental properties. It raises questions about the responsibilities of property management and the rights of tenants, especially in extreme weather conditions. For now, all Abdul-Halim can do is await a response and hope for a warm solution to her predicament.
