ST. LOUIS — Residents of an 8-story apartment complex in the Central West End complain they’ve been without working elevators for about a month.
“We got people stuck up here," said Shirley Johnson, a Roosevelt Towne Apartments resident. “Ain't been no response.”
For about a month, tenants tell our I-Team that all three of the elevators at the Roosevelt Towne Apartments have been broken. We were able to get inside quickly before security told us to leave. We found one elevator finally working. But residents tell us they’re not convinced it’s a permanent fix, since this has happened before. It means Johnson often walks up and down the stairs in pain.
“I had a stroke on my left side, so it is hard for me because my left side is messed up," she said.
She said if you speak up, you risk getting kicked out.
“So you're telling me that when people speak up, they get evicted?” asked the I-Team's Paula Vasan.
“Yes, they do," said Johnson.
One man who didn't want to show his face on camera told us it happened to him after he started complaining publicly about the elevator problems, arguing with building management.
“They gave this to me in less than an hour," he said, showing us what he said was an eviction notice. "I have no violations. I've never been late on my rent.”
He said an elevator repairman did come to the building about a week ago, and was robbed. We reached out to the apartment complex for a statement. We’re waiting to hear back. A notice on the door said in part: “The companies that we have reached out to all declined our request, due to them not feeling safe… We are not giving up…”
In the first seven months of the year, St. Louis police came to the address 103 times for issues ranging from shootings and theft to noise complaints. Residents admit the area has its problems. But that’s no reason why they should be without working elevators.
We asked St. Louis' 10th Ward Alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard why residents may be in this situation.
“The city does not administrate the elevator inspection programs, that's at the state level," she said.
She believes that could impact how quickly problems are fixed.
“And that may need to change," she said, adding that there may need to be more communication between the state level and our local public safety and building division in order for elevator issues to be fixed faster.
Johnson tells us she’s prepared to face the consequences.
“I'm going to be evicted next," she said.
She said she’s got nothing to lose.
We will continue reaching out to the building’s management for the latest on repairs.
State officials tell us the Missouri Division of Fire Safety has been in communication with Cardinal Elevator, the contractor working to solve the problem, correct violations, and get all of the elevators working again to serve building residents.
Attorney Kalila Jackson, with the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council, said the elevator problems reflect a systemic infrastructure issue with old buildings and buildings that aren’t properly maintained.
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