6 Hornsby Bend families push to get power restored after 5 days without electricity

Some houses on Best Way are without power

A group of Hornsby Bend neighbors have been fighting for days to get their power back on, and there is no end in sight.

AUSTIN, Texas - A group of Hornsby Bend neighbors have been fighting to get their power back on, and there is no end in sight. 

Neighbors in six homes on Best Way have been going five days, and counting, without power. This stems from a fire on electrical equipment, which serves their six homes, on Saturday morning. 

Homeowners speak out

The backstory:

"I have three kids, and their medicine and my medicine, as far as our food, it's a lot of stuff that I have been without," resident Terika Clemons said. "As far as my business, I make my own products. All my products have been destroyed, and that's how I bring in income to afford to pay rent here."

Austin Energy says whoever owns that electrical box has to repair it before they can restore power. 

Residents said RowCal, an HOA property management company, is supposed to help them fix it. 

"HOA is not being responsive. They are continuing to give us the runaround," resident Veronica Navarro said. 

"We've been contacting the HOA through phone calls, through emails. It's neither here nor there, hit or miss, because either they ignore us or they tell us they're not there," resident Fernado Aguilar said.

Even the property manager of one of the homes has been trying to help. 

"Our tenants and all these folks have been without power for five days, and we're definitely looking at several more days with no help from either the city or the HOA," Michael Strobel, of Tower Management Company, said. 

Navarro says the HOA told her they had contacted an electrical company. 

That electrical company said they're waiting for the city to approve a replacement panel before they can order it. The city says they've started that process, which has a design and inspection element to it.

Both entities say there is no set timeline. 

Residents are increasingly frustrated as they wait for their power to come back on. 

"At the end, it is like who is going to compensate us? You know, we just need help," Clemons said. 

"This has been completely unprofessional. Completely irresponsible. You know, lives are at stake here. People need medication. People need food. People need a home. It's not fair that they've just put us out in the street and don't even try to reach out to us in any way, shape or form," resident Crystal Navarro said.

RowCal responds

What they're saying:

The head of RowCal, based in Minnesota, said because of the way the community was built, homeowners would be responsible for the cost, but the association helped them select an electrician. 

RowCal says they're trying to help homeowners submit the cost of repairs to insurance, and they should receive more information Thursday about what their options are. 

What you can do:

In the meantime, residents have to stay elsewhere. 

They have started a GoFundMe to help cover needs like temporary lodging and food.