KFOR.com Oklahoma City

Hundreds of residents without shelter at apartment in downtown OKC

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A chaotic afternoon for hundreds of residents at The Regency apartment complex in downtown Oklahoma City. Many may be homeless tonight after they were kicked out Sunday morning due to a power outage. KFOR spoke with several residents who have nowhere to go. 

Several people are filling the streets and are not allowed back in their apartments for the time being after the transformer in the building allegedly blew up. The Oklahoma City Fire Department says without power, the building is a safety hazard. 

Residents told KFOR everyone has been evacuated and told to stay with friends or family for the time being. In tears over the situation, Rhonda Claxton said she doesn’t have anyone to stay with.  

“I know things happen, but are you going to put us up in rooms for people who don’t have a family? Because my family is back in Memphis and Mississippi. So really, I feel like just going to have to have somebody go get my stuff and leave all my furniture and drive back home and not stay here anymore because I can’t mentally do this is not right,” said Rhonda Claxton, Regency resident.  

Same for Dean Hughes. He says he will have to stay under a bridge if he’s not provided shelter tonight. 

“Absolutely. Under a bridge or under the transit authority. Because I’ll go to work at 5 a.m. So, you know, not a lot of options for me in that situation,” said Dean Hughes, Regency resident.  

Hughes says the building just got new ownership and management over a month ago, but several residents told KFOR they’ve had ongoing issues with the apartment even before that. 

“I feel like they have one foot in the door, one foot out the door. I may be wrong, and I hope I am wrong, but that’s the way it feels,” said Hughes. 

Another resident, Josephy Perry said OG&E told him it may be three to four days before they can get back into their apartments.  

“They’re saying we could go and get our belongings and then we have to evacuate. We have to leave the building… How are we going to get to work? Where are we going? No clothes, you can’t shower, you got to get ready,” said Joseph Perry, Regency resident,” said Joseph Perry, Regency resident. 

The Fire Department told KFOR OG&E is on scene working to resolve the issue, but with no active working building, no one is allowed back inside until it’s back up and running. 

Residents haven’t been provided shelter yet and we left an office message but haven’t been able to get in touch with anyone.

One of the residents told KFOR he plans on going to court with the apartment complex if they don’t let him out of his lease. 

OG&E told KFOR that a leaking sewage line in the building damaged equipment, which caused the power outage. Before repairs could begin, the sewage had to be pumped out of the area.

The company said once the area was clear, OG&E crews worked through the night to repair the damaged equipment. OG&E says service was restored to the building by 6:30 a.m. on Monday.