Company fixes elevators at apartment complex, home to senior citizens, after ABC13 intervenes

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- If you live on the second or third floor of an apartment building, an elevator is nice to have, and for some, it's a necessity.

Eyewitness News heard from folks renting at a senior living complex in northwest Harris County who say they went months with one of their elevators out of service, forcing some to miss doctors' appointments and not be able to get around.

"Oh, my God, it's a long walk," Louise Morgan, a tenant, said.

It's a long walk to the working elevator, too long for Morgan, who lives at the Cornerstone Village Apartment complex for folks 55 years old and up.

"I have (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). It's hard on me coming up those stairs. When I get to the second set of stairs, I have to take the puffs of inhaler because of my breathing problem," Morgan explained.

There are two elevators in the apartment building, but they are not close together, and it can take some effort to get to the working one, especially if you use a cane, walker, or wheelchair.

"It's still an inconvenience for some of the residents that have to go further, further, further just to get to that elevator when they're not mobile like some of us. So that's a big concern to me," Glenda Williams, a renter at Cornerstone Village apartments, said.

Once in late June, Morgan said she was having trouble breathing and had to call 911.

"(The paramedics) had to bring the truck (and) stretcher down here and help me down the stairs to the stretcher in order to get me to the emergency room. This is what we are dealing with," Morgan said.

Residents told ABC13 it had been months since the elevator was working, and when they asked management about it, they said they were waiting on a replacement part.

TK Elevator blamed the delay on supply chain issues.

The company sent ABC13 this statement when we reached out about why the part was delayed:

"Global supply chain issues resulting from the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and transportation bottlenecks remain a challenge for any industry that is dependent on electronic components, and the elevator industry is no exception. Despite these hurdles, TK Elevator has, and remains committed to, a pro-active and solution-based approach to sourcing components to mitigate the impacts and inconvenience to our customers and their passengers."

When Eyewitness News asked management for an update, they called up TK Elevator once again, this time telling them ABC13 wanted to know where the part was. Well, the elevator was fixed the next day.

"You just don't understand. You know this not only helped me out but the rest of the senior citizens that are here," Morgan explained.

It's hard to say what the reason for the hold-up really was. Folks who live here are just glad to be able to get around again.

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