A volunteer who delivers food to the complex contacted KHOU 11 about the non working elevators
HOUSTON — Residents at a senior living apartment complex near the Greater East End told KHOU 11 they want the only elevator there to be back up and running consistently.Representatives of the Nueva Vida apartments say they’re working to do just that.
Residents say they rely on the elevator there for daily life, but it hasn’t been running consistently for about two months.
This week we spoke to someone who frequently visits the complex off Kimble and Dover Streets to deliver meals to residents there. She did not want her identity shared.
“Why did you want to speak out about this?” we asked.
“Because one day I’ll be a senior, and I hope somebody looks out for me,” she said. “I’ve seen your segments. I’ve noticed that a lot is accomplished when you guys get involved.”
They say they have been concerned that the elevator at Nueva Vida has recently been out for about two months.
“One of my clients told me he really doesn’t get out because he doesn’t have access to the elevator,” she said. “So he’s kind of stuck in his apartment.”
Nueva Vida is a supportive housing project for low-income seniors. It’s associated with the Tejano Center for Community Concerns.
“Tejano Center, as that sponsoring nonprofit organization is committed to the safety and the well-being of all of the seniors that reside in this property,” said Graci Garcez with Tejano Center.
Representatives for Tejano Center told us the elevator was fixed and running on Tuesday but was out of order again Wednesday. They told us they stay in communication with repair crews daily.
“We’re hopeful that this is just as much of a sense of urgency for the electrical companies and the contractors that we bring on site to get it fixed so we don’t have to have them deal with this anymore,” Garcez said.
Apartment complex and Tejano Center leaders tell us they have worked to address concerns of resident well-being.
“We have made it a point to have our staff and volunteers have their food go up and be delivered right to their doorstep,” Garcez said.
I asked Tejano Center representatives when they expect the elevator to be back up and running. They say they have made arrangements with repair crews and it could be back and functioning as soon as this week. They have noted previous repair attempts have been short-lived due to issues with the parts or other unforeseen malfunctions. They say keeping it up and running consistently remains a top priority for them and their residents.