It’s going on three months since nearly the 400 people living at the Palisade Towers apartment complex have been without gas.
“It’s not easy,” says Shalice Major, a resident at the complex.
The gas leak has left them without their stoves. Many have been using hot plates to cook or have been eating out for months.
“I like to make everything from scratch and it’s a little limited with the hot plate,” says John Phelps, a resident.
Now, that has all changed just before the holiday season. Over 300 convection ovens were delivered to residents just in time for Thanksgiving. Officials say these ovens will allow residents to cook up to a 20-pound turkey.
“At our last tenant council meeting, one of the residents suggested we get them a convection oven or something to give them,” says Emy Vega, a property manager at Palisade Towers.
Residents are thrilled.
“It’s a big step to help us out with the holidays,” says Major.
“I’m happy. We can do a turkey in there. We can do anything,” says Ana Lopez, a resident.
Residents at Palisade Towers say these convection ovens aren’t just going to be a game-changer for holiday dinners, but also for everyday meals.
“It’s good to be able to go back to first stage food,” says Phelps.
“It makes a big difference because you can really cook now instead of wasting money eating out,” says Major.
Officials are still working on switching all eight buildings to electric services.