PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Multnomah County is now reporting seven suspected heat-related deaths so far. Deaths are also being reported in Clackamas, Marion and Umatilla counties.
With the issues getting air conditioners to low-income households, there are still countless people in the area trying to stay cool without AC.
The city hired a non-profit Earth Advantage to handle buying and distributing AC units to other community non-profits. The latest numbers say out of 3,010 AC units that were ordered, a little more than 1,000 have been installed and 688 are sitting in a warehouse.
A woman named Laura Watkins reached out to KOIN 6 News because she said her 79-year-old mother-in-law is at a low-income apartment complex in SE Portland and is suffering without air conditioning. The family can’t afford to buy and install one and Watkins doesn’t know where to turn.
“I’m scared, people pass away from this. Let’s talk about last year and how many people died,” Watkins said.
KOIN 6 reached out to the property management but haven’thasn’t heard back.