Reporter: Brinkley Hill
•7/9/2026
FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK)—Crews started installing new air conditioning units at The Landings at East Pointe apartment complex, but some residents will have to wait another week to cool down.
" It's hot. It's really hot,” said tenant Mylissa Beard. “ It's going to be hotter, and we only have a little portable AC unit”
The Housing Authority of Fort Myers brought a second portable AC unit to the apartment where Mylissa Beard, her young daughter, and son, who has epilepsy, live, after WINK News sent them a picture of a heat gun reading 87 degrees in the apartment.
"It's messed up. You've had my children and me out here suffering because you're giving me the runaround," Beard said.
Beard and her neighbors have been sharing mounting frustration with WINK News.
Beard showed our team a support ticket for AC for June 20; another neighbor had a support ticket as early as May 27.
"When my son had a seizure on the 3rd, I put another request in and said, 'Hey, my son just had a seizure 'cause it's so hot.' Nothing," Beard said.
Beard said her son has now been diagnosed with epilepsy and is worried for his health because heat makes his condition worse.
"Nothing would've happened if I hadn't involved you. I just keep getting the runaround," Beard said.
WINK News reached out to the Housing Authority of Fort Myers, asking multiple questions. Here is their full response:
We understand the concerns our residents have expressed regarding the current heat advisory in Lee County and the impact that air conditioning outages have during these extremely hot conditions. The comfort, health, and safety of our residents are very important to us, and we appreciate everyone's patience as we work through these necessary replacements.
As soon as an air conditioning issue is reported, our maintenance team responds to assess the situation and determine whether the unit can be repaired or requires replacement. When a replacement cannot be completed immediately, we have been providing temporary portable air conditioning units, when available, to help keep residents as comfortable as possible until permanent systems can be installed. We continue to monitor these situations closely and prioritize completing the work as quickly as our contractors' schedules allow. As far as the unit reading 87, we are putting a second portable in the unit today.
The replacement project includes multiple air conditioning systems that have reached the end of their useful life. Installation schedules are based on factors such as equipment condition, contractor scheduling, parts availability, and the logistics required to complete each installation safely and efficiently. We understand that waiting can be frustrating, especially during periods of extreme heat, and we are working diligently to complete every scheduled replacement.
To protect the privacy of our residents, we are unable to confirm whether any specific apartment is occupied or discuss another resident's housing status.
Every maintenance request is documented and responded to as it is received. While some issues can be repaired quickly, others require complete system replacement. Replacing an HVAC system involves obtaining equipment, coordinating contractors, and scheduling installations, all of which can take additional time. We understand how difficult this wait has been during the summer months and appreciate our residents' patience while we work to complete these installations as quickly as possible.
At this time, no decision has been made regarding rent adjustments related to air conditioning outages. Any requests for rent relief or other accommodations will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis in accordance and applicable regulations.
We sincerely appreciate our residents' understanding and patience throughout this process. Our team remains committed to completing these replacements as quickly as possible and restoring reliable air conditioning to every affected home.
Beard received a notice saying she will receive a new AC unit on Friday.
"I'm excited, but the fact that I have to suffer in this heat until tomorrow, you know, it's not fair," Beard said.
WINK News reached out to the Housing Authority to see if any other neighbors will be getting additional AC units while they wait up to a week longer for a new AC system. WINK News is still waiting to hear back.
