Edmond mom faces fine for window units in her home due to 'community rules'
EDMOND, Okla. (KFOR) - An Edmond mom said she was facing up to a $350 fine for trying to beat the summer heat.
With her home's main air conditioning unit going out, she got some window units to help keep her family cool. However, property management let her know that those are not allowed.
"I'm like, okay, It is extremely hot,” Angela Brewer said. “I have the unit because it's hot."
That about sums up Brewer's summer. She lives in the Apple Village Manufactured Home Community in Edmond and is in a bind. The first problem is our triple digit temperatures. The next, is her air conditioning unit being on its last leg.
"It makes a loud noise, and it gets louder when the temperature rises,” she said.
She said it’s already broken down, but it was reserviced to get it at least running again. It isn’t doing the job of keeping the house cool though and she was told she’ll need to replace it soon.
"I don't have four grand for a new unit,” Brewer said.
So, she got a window unit and a secondary portable unit to make her home liveable for herself, her husband, daughter and 2-year-old grandchild.
"That way it's not working as hard and it'll keep the house cool,” she said.
After she installed the units, property management delivered a letter to her home. On it, the community rules stating that window units are not allowed. If she doesn’t remove it, the letter said she faces a fine of up to $350.
"Without it, it was almost 90 degrees in the home,” Brewer said.
Brewer reached out to us and asked for some help, so we went looking for some answers. After a visit to the property management’s office, we were told the manager was not there. So, we called the ownership group of the property who gave us a manager’s number. However, when we called it went to voicemail.
We ventured through the neighborhood and found several homes with window units. One of the residents with a window unit in their home told us off camera that they had not heard anything from property management about it. Brewer though, is left to find out her fate next week. The letter states management would be back Monday to see if it’s still there. The letter states if they have to remove it, they will fine her an extra $25 per hour of labor.
"If you see a unit in someone's window, obviously they cannot buy a new regular unit,” she said.
KFOR later received a statement from Apple Village Manufactured Home Community management saying the notice will be withdrawn for the time being due to high temperatures.
"You have requested comment by Apple Village Manufactured Home Community on a story Channel 4 intends to run regarding a courtesy notice issued to a resident of the Apple Village Community for a violation of the Community rules and regulations regarding window air-conditioning units. The rules and regulations require an air conditioner to be placed to the rear of the home. They prohibit window-mounted, roof-mounted, and through-the-wall air conditioning units. The resident in question has one window-mounted unit that violated this rule and one unit that does not. However, given the heat wave the State is enduring, the notice has been withdrawn and no further courtesy notice will be issued to residents of the Apple Village Community for violation of this rule during this period of undue heat."
Apple Village Manufactured Home Community management