Elderly, disabled neighbors forced to move over persistent elevator issues: 'They don’t want to fix nothing'

PETERSBURG, Va. -- More than 100 people living at the Carriage House in Petersburg are being moved to other accommodations due to persistent elevator issues at the apartment building which caters to elderly and disabled residents.

"They don’t want to fix nothing, they don’t want to do nothing," Charles Lawson, who has lived at the Carriage House for six years, said.

Lawson and other residents told CBS 6 that the problems revolved around the building's two elevators.

"You’ve had one down for almost six months," Lawson said.

Last week, the building's second elevator failed.

"They told me they got to get parts for it.  I’m wondering how long it takes to get parts for the first one they had problems with," Lawson said. "What they need to do is put in a new elevator and stop patching something that you can’t patch. Fix it, that means put new ones in."

Envolve, the company that owns Carriage House, said it would relocate residents to nearby hotels to fix the elevator issues.

"I hope they are trying to replace them, because all they been doing is putting bandaids on them," James Page, who helped his mother move out of Carriage House on Thursday, said.

Michael Wray arrived at Carriage House on Thursday to help his grandmother pack up ahead of her move.

"I have no clue how the office didn’t know before two days prior [the move]. I don’t understand how, I feel like most people would have had some kind of notice, and they just didn’t tell nobody," he said.

Residents told CBS 6 they expect to be out of their apartments for around 30 days.

Jeff Ezekiel, the President Envolve Communities, provided the following statement about the situation:

Envolve is committed to the well-being of our residents at Carriage House. We understand the inconvenience caused by the ongoing elevator issues, and we want to assure our residents and their families that this is our top priority.

Background:

• We have experienced some problems with the elevator at Carriage House. While numerous repairs have been attempted, a long-term solution has unfortunately not been achieved.
• In collaboration with the city, we have developed a plan to ensure the temporary comfort of all residents while a permanent solution is implemented.

Temporary Relocation:

• To facilitate essential elevator repairs and/or replacements, all residents will be temporarily relocated to nearby hotels by noon on April 12th, 2024.
• We have prioritized residents with mobility limitations to ensure a smooth transition.
• Transportation to and from the hotels will be provided, along with a daily financial contribution to help cover basic essentials during their stay.

Security and Peace of Mind:

• We understand the importance of feeling comfortable and secure during this temporary relocation.
• Envolve will have 24-hour security on-site at Carriage House until the residents return.

Next Steps:

• We are working diligently to complete the elevator repairs and/or replacements as quickly as possible.
• We will keep residents informed of the progress throughout the process and are committed to a swift and successful resolution.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this temporary relocation. We appreciate the patience and understanding of our residents and their families as we work to set the standard for quality living at Carriage House.

We appreciate the opportunity to address this issue and look forward to welcoming our residents back to Carriage House soon.