RICHMOND, Va. — Residents of the Bacon Retirement Community in Richmond have been struggling with inconsistent heat and hot water for months, according to tenants and their families.
Celestine Harvey, whose mother lives in the community, says the lack of reliable utilities has been an ongoing issue.
"Nobody should be living like that," Harvey said. "No hot water, also complaining about no heat in there, in their apartments."
In a video clip taken by Harvey, her mother describes having to boil water on the stove for basic needs.
"Boiling water on the stove for three months is not right. It's not right. It's not fair. They pay rent here," Harvey said.
Harvey attempted to attend a residents' meeting set for Jan. 31 to address these issues, but found out the meeting was canceled upon arrival. In a video shot by Harvey, she is heard asking residents if they wanted to know why the meeting was canceled. After some expressed interest, she approached an employee, who she said dismissed her concerns.
"Ma'am, I really don't have to speak to you," the employee responded.
Following this, Harvey organized protests outside the facility.
"Seniors matter, we was chanting,” she said. "If I had to be uncomfortable for them to be comfortable, then let me be uncomfortable."
CBS 6 reached out to Main Street Realty, the company managing the facility, and received the following statement regarding the concerns:
The heat and the hot water at Bacon are both provided by a series of mini-boilers throughout the building. Those water heaters are currently working as they always have and have consistently been operational except during the few days when the City’s ability to deliver water was suspended.
We received the first maintenance request to check hot water supply in January 2025. We checked the requesting residents’ faucets, and each time, we found hot water being delivered. A City code inspector was called to inspect the hot water service early last week. He checked several faucets in the building and found no deficiencies. He was called out again on Friday, January 31.
At that inspection, he found a faucet that was delivering water between 111-115 degrees Fahrenheit, short of the City’s code requirement of 120 degrees. That same day (1/31), we ordered an additional two mini-boilers.
The management company added that the installation process for the new boilers began this past Thursday and should be completed within 48 hours.
Harvey acknowledged that repairs take time but is hoping management will implement a plan to keep everything running smoothly.
“When they come into their home, that they don't have to worry about extra stuff like boiling water to bathe and in your sink and cooking and having your stove wide open for extra heat,” she said.
A City Hall meeting is scheduled for Feb. 10, where Harvey and other concerned community members plan to speak. CBS 6 has also reached out to the district’s councilmember, Cynthia Newbille, and is awaiting a response.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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