RICHMOND, Va. -- Residents at the Richmond Dairy Apartments say they are beyond frustrated with constant elevator issues. With many of them relying on the elevator to get in and out of their homes, they told the Problem Solvers something has to be done.
Veteran Melvin Boyd has lived at the apartment complex on West Marshall Street for three years.
"I just got out of the hospital about a week and a half ago. I fell twice and need hip surgery, back surgery," Boyd said.
He and other residents reached out after they said the main elevator in the building has been out of service for more than three months.
"I have missed several doctor's appointments at the Veteran's Hospital because I've been stuck upstairs due to the elevator not working. I had the drivers downstairs with the V.A. van but I couldn't come downstairs," Boyd said.
Because the main elevator is down, residents need to use an elevator located in the parking garage, one that Boyd and other residents said often shuts down because of maintenance calls.
"Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't, sometimes I have to wait for the maintenance man to come in and hit the circuit breaker," Boyd said. "I just never know if I go to the store or something, if I come back home I don't know if I can get upstairs or not, and sometimes I’m on my scooter and I can't carry it upstairs."
Boyd said he asked management when both elevators would be working and they told him they were waiting for a part to come in. Hearing the same answer for over a month, Boyd said he's fed up, especially after finding himself stuck in his home.
"A couple weeks ago, I fell in the staircase carrying my walker downstairs. I just wish it was resolved," Boyd said.
The Problem Solvers reached out to the management at the apartments earlier this week and were told by the head of maintenance that the part needed to fix the main elevator was finally in after shipping was delayed for reasons related to COVID-19. He said the part would be installed and the elevator should be up and running by early next week.
