Durham officials move more families over carbon monoxide leaks. More are waiting.
The Durham Housing Authority has moved 171 households from the McDougald Terrace public housing community to hotels, with more waiting for hotel space to open up, CEO Anthony Scott said Monday.
That brings the number of people evacuated from the Lawson Street complex to over 300 since Friday, when the authority began relocating families over concerns about carbon monoxide exposure and gas leaks.
The option to relocate is now open to all residents of McDougald Terrace, which has about 360 apartments, Scott said. About 30 additional families are waiting for hotel space, and the authority is continuing to process others interested in moving, he said.
DHA initially identified 111 households with family members 2 years old or younger or 65 and older, or who lived in one of the 11 buildings with elevated carbon monoxide levels.
“That just gave us an initial number to plan from,” Scott said.
Some residents who were placed in hotels had to be moved to new hotel rooms because of bed bugs, he said.
On Tuesday the authority plans to begin inspecting residential units in a more controlled environment, Scott said.
“So that we can turn on the heating system, turn on the stove, turn on the hot water,” he said. “Those are all the appliances that have gas emissions, and we can detect if there is in fact any type of CO going on.”
The authority is paying for the hotels with its capital improvement money, but it’s also seeking local, state and federal dollars to help cover costs like hotel rooms, transportation and stipends determined by the size of the family.
It’s unknown how long McDougald Terrace residents will live in hotels, he said, until the inspections identify issues to be addressed.
Federal inspection
McDougald Terrace, built in 1953, is the authority’s oldest and largest public housing community. It is inspected by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which oversees housing authorities.
Inspectors look for health and safety hazards, like smoke detectors, insects and emergency exits, as well as physical damage to the exterior and interior, such as mold, electric work, ventilation for gas and water heaters and inoperable kitchen equipment.
In 2018, federal inspectors gave it a score of 34 out of 100, The News & Observer previously reported. A 60 is considered failing.
The most recent inspection noted 72 health and safety deficiencies and projected there were about 820 on the property.
About 24 of the deficiencies were considered life threatening with a projected total of 331 on the property. Deficiencies included insect and roach infestations, mold, a misaligned chimney, and problems with ventilation for gas and water heaters.
Four other DHA properties inspected in 2018 also had scores below 60, according to a federal Department of Housing and Urban Development database:
▪ Cornwallis Road, (built in 1967, 200 units), score of 33
▪ Oxford Manor, (built in 1971, 172 units) score of 38
▪ Oldham Towers, (built in 1969, 106 units) 45
▪ Forest Hills, (built in 1981, 55 units) score of 53
DHA plans to do a more extensive analysis of the other properties, Scott said, and emergency management officials are doing a query to identify any similar issues.
Congressional hearing
At a congressional hearing in April, HUD Secretary Ben Carson told U.S. Rep. David Price his agency had begun requiring inspections to make sure public housing units have working carbon monoxide detectors.
“We are notifying not only the public housing but also all the multifamily and housing that is supported by any of our programs,” Carson said. “Most states already have regulations regarding carbon monoxide monitoring. However, it’s not always enforced.”
HUD would be working with Congress “to put some real teeth into legislation enforcing this,” Carson told the congressman. “I want to be more proactive and not just wait until there’s a crisis to deal with it.”
In a statement Monday, Price said he had been in touch with the Durham Housing Authority and that his thoughts were with those affected by the carbon monoxide emergency at McDougald Terrace.
“For far too long, Congress has failed to adequately invest in our public housing stock, putting vulnerable residents at risk,” Price said. “I’ve been working to reverse years of disinvestment as well as boost funding specifically to combat health hazards like carbon monoxide, lead and mold. We can’t be satisfied until every resident has a safe place to call home.”
Carbon monoxide safety tips
Citing the situation at McDougald Terrace, the N.C. Department of Insurance, Office of State Fire Marshal and Safe Kids NC issued the following safety tips Monday:
▪ Install carbon monoxide alarms in a central location outside each sleeping area on every level of the home and in other locations required by law or code.
▪ For the best protection, interconnect all CO alarms throughout the home so that when one sounds, they all sound.
▪ Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for placement and mounting height.
▪ Choose a carbon monoxide alarm that has the label of a recognized testing laboratory.
▪ Test CO alarms at least once a month; replace them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
▪ If the audible trouble signal sounds, check for low batteries. If the battery is low, replace it. If it still sounds, call the fire department.
▪ If the carbon monoxide alarm sounds, immediately move to a fresh air location. Make sure everyone inside the home is accounted for.
▪ If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle or other fueled engines or motors indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not covered with snow.
▪ During and after a snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow build-up.
▪ Use gas or charcoal grills outside.
Staff writer Brian Murphy contributed to this story.
This story was originally published January 6, 2020 at 4:16 PM.