COLUMBIA, SC -- With the unusually warm temperatures, Columbia officials are springing into action with other Midlands organizations to help low income residents beat the heat.
The Columbia Police Department, Columbia Housing Authority, Habitat for Humanity, and Sears Department Store teamed up to give away 36 air conditioning units to residents of the Gonzalez Gardens apartment complex. The project is part of the departments Fan the Heat initiative. It began eight months ago and finished Thursday with the installation of the units.
Housing Authority Director Roy Kramer said they will do all they can to help; especially as summer gets closer and temperatures heat up even more.
"We have the ability to identify the low income families rather quickly. This is not just here. It is all over the state happening at the same time. We just felt this was a good way to give back. There was an opportunity, we could identify families and find the people to put them in."
Residents had to apply in order to qualify. Officials hope to provide more units in the near future.
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