MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Some Warren Apartments residents who qualify for utility bill subsidies are finally getting their checks, but for the last two months, they said those checks have been arriving late.
It’s been causing them to be late with their utility bills, and now they’re worried about their credit with MLGW.
“We hadn’t had one [utility subsidy check] since February,” said one Warren Apartments resident.
In some cases, residents told WREG checks have been arriving up to six weeks late because of changes in the way the money is disbursed.
“It just feels like our tenants are constantly being oppressed and victimized for things that we did not do,” said Cynthia Crawford, president of the Warren Apartments Tenants’ Association.
Crawford said some have had their utilities cut off because they were late paying the bill.
Even now that the utility subsidy checks are arriving, in many cases, the damage is already done.
“Once those payments weren’t made on time, my credit was chopped in half,” said Crawford.
The Mid-South Peace and Justice Center said its been working with the government to resolve the issue.
They’ve spoken to MLGW, which said it’s looking at possibly waiving any negative credit reports for those affected by the late utility subsidies.
WREG called the number listed for the Warren Apartments, but it appeared to be disconnected.