Oklahoma City — Senior and disabled tenants at Andrew Square told the City Council they suffered days without service, standing water and deteriorating living conditions after a major water-line failure late on Christmas, prompting calls for immediate repairs and management changes.

Residents described the event as traumatic and chronic. "My wife's pregnant, and I just want change for everybody," said Thomas Wade, a resident who reported hospital visits and ongoing safety concerns. Mary Cates, who said she has lived at the property since 2009, told the council that multiple units flooded and that some tenants received hotel rooms while others were left in place: "We have hardly any clothes. Thank God," she said.

Advocates and tenants raised broader complaints about mold, bedbugs, mice and alleged security-staff misconduct, saying the problems predate the recent flood and that responses were uneven. "They have done nothing but pass the buck and shuffle managers," said Alisa Howe, an organizer who testified on residents' behalf.

Mark Gillette, executive director of the Oklahoma City Housing Authority, told the council the fire department shut off the water after emergency crews responded about 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 26. OCHA staff and licensed plumbers worked through the weekend; crews identified a hole larger than a fist in a main water line and replaced it. The housing authority contracted a remediation firm, deployed dehumidifiers and offered temporary hotel relocation to affected first‑floor residents, Gillette said. Bottled water was distributed and on‑site communications continued through the weekend.

"They determined the work required outside contractors to address the situation," Gillette said, describing the staged response and follow-up remediation.

Residents pushed the council for further action, including replacement of board members and executive leadership at the housing authority and faster relocation or compensation for tenants who lost belongings and experienced health impacts. Councilmembers asked staff to gather a full factual timeline of the incident, documentation of offers made to residents, and remediation steps completed to date.

Next steps: Council members requested additional reporting from OCHA and city staff, and indicated they will follow up on requests for tenant relocation, medical-accommodation records and inspection results.