BUFFALO, N.Y. — Karen Martin says water came cascading into her kitchen from the upstairs apartment on September 2nd.

She says this has happened several times in the last few years in her Edison Avenue apartment managed by the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority. But this time, it was worse than ever before. 

"I had to call the fire department. They came out and they unhooked the stove," Martin said. "I can't stay here. The gas is off. I need to take a bath. I need hot water. I can't cook."

Martin says the fire department told her that they won't turn the gas back on until BMHA goes into the ceiling and fixes the pipes.

Despite putting in a work order immediately and calling a BMHA commissioner, no one came out until her friend, Nate Boyd, advocated on her behalf in front of the BMHA and Buffalo Common Council Tuesday morning.

A crew came to her home for a few minutes Tuesday afternoon, promising to return Wednesday.

"This is an emergency and I need to come home," Martin said.

A second woman, who asked not to be filmed, said her BMHA-managed apartment also has flooded several times in the past few years because of damaged pipes.

She says five work crews have come in at various times when water breaks through the ceiling.

They drywall and plaster the hole and then leave.

"They tell me it's fixed, they seal it, and then it opens right back up."

After the woman's boyfriend addressed the issue in front of the Common Council and the BMHA, the pipes were fixed Tuesday evening.

BMHA Interim Executive Director Gillian Brown says he believes their work order system generally works, but there are times those requests fall through the cracks.

"Whenever they come to my attention, the first thing I do is apologize for it, and the second thing I do is I make sure people get over there," Brown said.

Both residents, meanwhile, say that they typically have to wait 10 days for any work order to be addressed.