Residents in a senior living community in Columbus, Ohio have been left stranded after the building’s only elevator stopped working weeks ago.
Residents at the 55+ Hawthorn Village community haven’t been able to use the only elevator in the building since March 8, ABC 6 reports. Now, those with mobility issues are sounding the alarm.
"A couple days I felt like okay I’m about to just sit in here and scream at the top of my lungs," Sudoria, a resident who uses a wheelchair, told ABC 6.
"I can’t get out," she added. "I can’t get any sunlight. I can’t get any fresh air but through a window. I actually feel like I’m kind of being held hostage."
Sudoria has already missed doctors' appointments because of the elevator issue — and she’s worried others are too.
"I’m here today advocating on behalf of everyone in the building," she told ABC 6. "Not just singularly myself. There’s people in here that are disabled. There’s people in here that are elders, and to me they should not be treated this way. At least communicate with them and let them know what is going on."
The NRP Group, which managed the building, said in a statement that they have given residents emergency contact numbers and are working to resolve this “as quickly and safely as possible.”
“As soon as the elevator issue was reported, we took immediate action by engaging a licensed repair company,” the company’s statement reads. “Unfortunately, due to the complexity of the repairs and the availability of necessary parts, the process has taken longer than we had hoped.”
Columbus’s Building and Zoning Department issued a code violation to the building on Monday, ABC 6 reports. Apartment management reportedly said it could take another two weeks to get the part they need for the elevator.
"It’s triggering because what it did is it reminded me that I have to wait and depend on other people, and so that started the emotional ball rolling," Sudoria said.
The Independent has contacted the NRP Group for comment.
