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HIGHLAND, Calif. () — As Southern California faces potentially record-breaking heat, there’s concern at a senior center in Highland that’s been without working air conditioning or heating for more than a year.
“It’s horrible, especially in the aerobics room,” said Rosetta Love of Highland, who visits the center five days a week. “We have to open both of the doors.”
Last summer, when daytime temperatures frequently reached 100 degrees outside, many seniors decided against going to the center because it was so hot inside.
“It’s very hot and humid,” said Sandra Lanier, who participates in the aerobics class every morning.
“There’s 30 people in the class; we’re sweating and working hard, and some people just have to quit because they’re overwhelmed in the room,” she said.
Further complicating matters, the executive director at the Highland Senior Center said the facility is a designated cooling center during heat waves.
“It’s been great until it wasn’t,” said executive director Penny Lilburn. “We’ve been out of heating and air conditioning for a year here at the senior center.”
Lilburn said they’ve invested in space heaters and more than a dozen area fans, but when temperatures reach 100 degrees, it’s almost impossible to keep the facility cool enough to be comfortable.
“We try to come up with makeshift fans, and do what we can, but we’re supposed to be a cooling center for the state, so people come here to have lunch and get out of the heat, the seniors especially,” she said.
Lilburn said the senior center is a non-profit organization, and they don’t have the money to afford the approximately $140,000 price tag that comes with a new HVAC system.
The center applied for a federal grant that would cover the cost of a new system. Lilburn said it was approved not only by officials with San Bernardino County, but the Highland City Council as well.
However, because the Highland Senior Center is located on state property, the Patton State Hospital, they need state approval to move forward with the project.
“Because of the red tape involved in doing the project here, because it’s on state property, it’s going to take a long time to deliver this project here,” said Carlos Zamano, city manager of Highland. “Because of those constraints that the state has, we’re not able to deliver the project here as we would like to.”
Zamano said he’s doubtful the project can proceed but is holding out hope that they can get the attention of someone at the state level to give them assistance.
“We need to talk to the right people at the state,” said Zamano. “Unless we get some input from someone with authority to help us move the red tape quicker, this is not a viable project.”
It’s estimated that 24,000 senior citizens use the facility every month.
“It’s the only place some people have to go to,” said Lanier. “When you’re older, they lose their friends and their family. And they come here for their social life…That’s so important for the older people.”
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