MIAMI – Elderly and disabled residents of a Miami high rise are stuck in their homes due to the building’s two elevators being out of order.
The ongoing confrontation between frustrated tenants and the property manager of the Civic Towers Apartments hit a boiling point Monday as police were called in to help to quell emotions.
“They called the police on us saying we were harassing them,” said resident Darianne Diago. “I’m just trying to fix everything in the building for all the elders living here.”
Since Saturday, when the elevators suddenly went out of order, 80-year-old Anolan Velazquez has had to climb the steps to get to her apartment on the 18th floor.
“(I have) pain in my leg now, more pain, but it was necessary,” she said. “I needed to go to the pharmacy.”
Amazon delivery drivers have had to do the same thing to drop off packages, and so do the City of Miami firefighters who have had to respond to multiple calls at the building of shortness of breath and other ailments.
“There’s people with wheelchairs, people with walkers that can’t even move,” said Diago.”It’s like if they’re in jail. That’s what they’re living right now.”
The issue of inoperable elevators are on top of the health hazards of mold complaints in units and garbage and waste piling up around the property, which Local 10 News reported on earlier this year.
The property owner was issued a code violation earlier this year for the trash issues.