Imagine being locked in your home for weeks, not being able to go anywhere. That’s how some elderly people in a Cleveland apartment building said they feel all because their elevator is broken and they can’t use the stairs.
“For me, it’s scary because I am locked in,” said Wiktoria Kawecki, 92, who is a 17-year resident of the Broadway Place Elderly Apartments in the 7000 block of Broadway. She was holding back tears after the one and only elevator in her building has been out for 25 days.
“I try to walk…how you can walk on the steps with a walker?” she told us as she pointed to her walker.
Some could not stop from crying. In poor health, Olivia Thomas said because the elevator is down, she’s had to have EMS come out and help her.
“And they had to use like some kind of contraption to bring me down the stairs, you know?” she said.
About a dozen residents met with News 5 Investigators and said the repair delay has forced them to miss shopping for food and medications, and has kept them from going to medical appointments.
The building is owned by Broadway Retirement, LLC and run by United Property Management Company out of Lorain. That company has an F-rating with the BBB for not responding to complaints.
We phoned the company Friday, trying to talk to someone in charge about the long-broken elevator. We were told Jon Veard, the person in charge, was sick and that a manager said the part to fix the elevator was ordered two weeks ago and would be there Friday to be installed and fixed.
“They said last week they supposed to be out (to fix it) last week,” said Thomas.
“You think about if it’s your parents or grandparents or when it’s you,” said Cleveland City Councilwoman Rebecca Maurer, who represents that area. She has been in communication with the management company and even sent a letter. She said she hasn’t gotten much response.
“They’re not out in this building to hear from residents and really see what’s going on,” she told us.
A News 5 Investigation a couple of years ago sparked a senate bill that would have helped address elevator problems in the state. That bill never passed and now here we are seeing more of the same problems in our area.
“There are already rules and laws being broken, but this has certainly challenged me as a (city councilwoman) for me to say how can we hold these landlords further accountable and make sure they have a safety plan for their residents,” said Maurer.
Many people in the building said they hope something happens quickly.
“Oh, it’s been a nightmare for real,” said Gloria Graffenreed, an 11-year resident.
“This is not funny because this is not young people living here. This is people who retired,” said Kawecki.
The councilwoman tells us starting tomorrow, representatives will come to the building and help the people inside file fair housing claims. She also said she’s been informed the elevator repair will not happen Friday.
