Low Income Housing Residents Forced to Find New Place for Laundry

Low income residents at a Bossier City apartment complex are asking for help tonight. Their laundry room was shut down more than a month ago after it was vandalized. The culprits have not been caught, yet, a group of residents say they are the ones paying the prices. "Why pay cab fare when we can do our laundry right here," Charles Landry, a Riverwood Apartments resident, said. The low income housing complex offers families a way to save money. But, now they`re spending it on laundry. "I thought since we moved over here we would have a place to wash," Velma Moore said. However, that is no longer the case. The on-site laundry facility was vandalized in December 2006 for the second time. The Housing Authority of Bossier City closed it down soon after. "Rather than just trying to repair the glass doors and letting us use it," Landry said,"they would rather keep it closed." The nearest laundromat is more than a mile away and the price of doing a load of laundry is more than double what it costs at Riverwood`s laundry facility. If you add cab fare for those without vehicles, you`re looking at an average of $17 a week for laundry. "There are other people back here same as we are who don`t have cars or much money coming in and it`s hurting us," Landry said. William McDonald, COO of the Housing Authority of Bossier City, and CEO Bill Hensley say the laundry room is provided as an amenity, not a requirement. Yet, residents point to the Riverwood rules and regulations handbook which states that the laundry facility is provided for the convenience of residents. But until the Housing Authority finds the vandals responsible, the laundry facility could stay closed. "It`s unfortunate that the families living here are not able to use the laundry faciliies," McDonald said," but we are not required to continuing paying for repairs on a routine basis." The residents say they have no idea who is behind the vandalism, but, what they do know is that they are suffering. And they say it seems those who should offer them a helping hand are turning their backs. And referring to housing authorities, Evylen Johnson, a Riverwood resident, said, "This is for low income families and he can sit there in his office and make those statements and he`s over the housing office," The Housing Authority insists the laundry room at Riverwood Apartments will not be shut down permanently. However, they will give a date as to when it will be re-opened. Our Troubleshooters volunteers will follow this case until it is resolved.