KHOU 11 first brought the issue at the Gala at Four Corners to light in mid-July when residents said they felt trapped upstairs.
SUGAR LAND, Texas — Nearly two months after KHOU 11 first pushed for solutions for broken elevators at a Sugar Land senior apartment complex, state regulators said they are working on enforcement action.
The two elevators at the Gala at Four Corners apartments broke down in mid-July, after storms damaged electrical circuit boards. The public relations team for Asset Living, the apartment management company, said the elevator in one of the buildings came back online on Aug. 27, but the elevator in the other building is still down.
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation told KHOU 11 that they are aware of the issue at the Gala at Four Corners, and they added that they have been talking with the property manager and the elevator company.
“The elevator company apparently is waiting on parts to return the other elevator to service. We do have an enforcement case working its way through the system, and our goal as always is to gain full compliance with state law,” TDLR said in a statement to KHOU 11.
The apartment told KHOU 11 that the elevator still undergoing repairs should be back up and running within two to four weeks.
However, residents said they are frustrated that it is taking so long. Third-floor resident Pamela Howard, who we met back in July, said she has had to go to drastic measures just to get to her dialysis appointments.
“I had to call the ambulance and the firemen to come take me down the stairs. I just find that’s a lot. I feel like I’m wasting their time,” Howard said. “This is supposed to be an elder community. This is not right. It’s not right.”
Howard said the apartment complex needs to do more to get the elevator fixed.
“That they need to hurry up and do it. It shouldn’t be taking this long, and it’s very, very sad that we’re going through this,” Howard said.
KHOU 11 reached out to the local elevator union, International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 31, to ask about the elevator problem at Gala at Four Corners and if repairs should take two months to complete.
“Typically, you’ll see something a lot faster than two months,” IUEC Local 31 business manager Ryan Schuett said.
But Schuett added that there are various issues that can come into play for why elevator repairs are delayed.
“Some of this is proprietary, as well, so a service provider may not have the same access to parts that one of the larger companies, that manufactures the parts, will,” Schuett said. “Many times, you’ll have orders for work that have not been signed, or payment has not been received to be able to start work.”
As the elevator union, Schuett said IUEC Local 31 does what it can to pair elevator service companies with apartments in need to get issues fixed as fast as possible.
“We can also help to facilitate to bring members to specific properties or recommend a company that may be able to get some parts, some other things, they’re a little bit quicker than some of the other companies,” Schuett said. “Seniors do need to be able to access health care functions and all the things that they need to do, and they’re trapped, essentially, if they have elevators that don’t work.”
Texas State Representative Suleman Lalani, D-Sugar Land, also said he is looking into the issue at Gala at Four Corners. He called the outage “unacceptable,” and he said he is working to prioritize legislation that can help seniors in similar situations.
Below is the full statement from Rep. Lalani:
“I am all too familiar with these types of senior apartments and the unique challenges residents face. I serve our senior population not only as a legislator, but as a practicing physician specializing in geriatrics.
These companies market directly to seniors and have a moral and ethical responsibility to address critical issues like elevator access without delay. They know their residents are vulnerable. Enough is enough. In some cases, residents have been forced to call 911 simply to exit their apartment floor, pulling emergency responders away from frontline duties due to management failures. That is unacceptable.
I’m taking note of these recurring elevator failures for the upcoming legislative session, and all options are on the table to ensure accountability and protect the dignity of our seniors.
This past session, I filed HB 863 and HB 1467, aiming to protect health and safety at senior communities. Both bills gained strong momentum, and I intend to file them again.
I understand that the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation became aware of the Gala at Four Corners issue in June after discussions with the elevator contractor. TDLR has since launched a separate complaint process on behalf of residents, and I understand a settlement is in progress with the owners that may result in a positive outcome for both the Gala at Parkway and Jubilee properties.
In the meantime, I encourage residents facing similar issues to contact my Sugar Land district office so we can elevate their concerns and advocate on their behalf.”
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