Residents of Billerica are coming together to support some of their own.
"I’ve been together with a lot of the community leaders and the interfaith group and we are collecting gift cards for the residence today," said long-time Billerica Resident. Darlene Torre.
When Torre heard about a busted pipe that displaced more than 100 Billerica residents, she said she just wanted to help.
She is organizing a relief fund for impacted tenant at The Commons on Boston Road, which the town temporarily condemned Wednesday after a four-inch pipe burst in the attic of building 1.
"They are very upset," Torre said when asked how the residents are doing. "They feel like nobody cares. Like nobody’s listening to them. Like the management company is not working with them."
That’s because everyone in the nearly 60 units here has been forced out of their homes.
Many of the displaced residents are paying for hotels out of their own pocket.
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They’re unsure about whether they’ll be reimbursed or when they’ll be let back into their homes.
"This commons apartment complex is not reaching out to find them temporary housing, never mind long-term housing," said Billerica Town Selectman George Simolaris.
Simolaris said residents who aren’t insured, especially lower income residents, face greater losses.
"25 percent subsidize housing residence are not required to have tenant insurance," Simolaris said.
Management has not said how long it will take to get folks back in their homes.
In the meantime the more fortunate are doing what they can.
