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City Fielding 30 Complaints A Day About Insufficient Heat

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A top city official said inspectors have been forced to take emergency action to help some tenants get adequate heat in their buildings during this week's cold snap.

Buildings Commissioner Felicia Davis said the city went to court Wednesday to force the owners of a couple apartment buildings to make emergency repairs and restore heat for tenants.

"The ordinance requires 68 degrees during the daytime hours, which is 8:30 a.m. until 10:30 p.m., and 66 degrees overnight between 10:30 p.m. and 8:30 a.m.," she said. "Those are the minimum temperatures."

The Buildings Department targeted some of the worst offenders before heating season began.

"We start going out to the properties ahead of time to make sure that they are providing heat for this season, and in some cases we just start to refer those to court right away," Davis said.

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The city has received about 30 heating complaints a day, which is typical when temperatures outside are below freezing.

Davis said she'd like to think some of these problems could have been avoided.

"Every year it's cold in Chicago. The heat ordinance kicks into effect every year September 15th. The best-scenario is that a property owner goes into the fall doing preventive maintenance," she said.

Davis said tenants should call 311 if their apartments are too cold.

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