Residents at Magnolia Place Apartments are stranded due to broken elevators, missing vital appointments and groceries.
HOUSTON — Residents of a senior living apartment complex have been stranded on the upper floors for almost two weeks due to non-functioning elevators. The disabled residents of Magnolia Place Apartments have been facing difficulties since the last working elevator broke down last month.
Gwendolyn Larkins, along with many others, struggles to navigate the building.
“I’ve got to stop and get a breath or stop and sit down and take a rest,” Larkins said. Their inability to leave their floors has resulted in missed medical appointments and trips to the grocery store. “I’m just stuck,” she said.
When asked about the situation, the apartment manager said she is not allowed to speak.
“I would appreciate it if you take the camera off of me,” she said. Efforts to contact the elevator manufacturer, Schindler, have been unsuccessful, as their office in Spring Branch appeared empty.
Residents have been advised by management to call the fire department if they need to leave. The Houston Fire Department issued a statement emphasizing that 911 is for life-threatening emergencies and should not be used for non-emergency responses. The statement added that property owners are responsible for maintaining elevators to ensure resident safety.
State Senator Carol Alvarado (D-Houston) saw our reporting Wednesday and called the situation “unacceptable.”
Texas Senate Bill 1802, authored by Alvarado, aims to address such issues by requiring landlords to promptly repair broken elevators. The bill could reach the Senate floor as early as next week. If passed, landlords who fail to fix elevators in a timely manner would be responsible for tenants’ rent until repairs are made. Tenants would also have the right to break their leases and be entitled to alternative housing at the landlord’s expense.
The act would go into effect on Sept. 1 if the bill passes.