'We're caged in': Elderly Hyde Park residents upset elevators are not working in 12-floor building
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Only on 2
Imagine having to walk several flights of stairs each day. It is a long, frustrating climb. For days, a 90-year-old woman was forced to use the stairs at her Hyde Park apartment building - because the elevators didn't work.
That what residents at one Hyde Park apartment have been enduring the past couple of days. CBS 2's Shardaa Gray spoke to a couple of tenants who said they're fed up.
"We not paying public housing rent up in here. So why don't we have elevators?"
Ninety-year-old Etna Pitman said she's lived at Hyde Park West Apartments and Townhomes since it was first built, 53 years ago.
"That one just started working today, and by the time you leave, it might not be working."
Pitman said the elevators have been working off and on for a year and most recently for the past four days, tenants had to use the stairs.
The apartment building has 12 floors.
"The people that live in the upper floors, they have to walk all the way down and when they get off of work they have to walk all the way back up to the 11th or 12th floor. Doesn't make sense," Pittman said.
CBS 2 found out Hyde Park West Apartments and Townhomes failed their annual inspection last week for failure to have a working elevator. From December 2003 to September 22nd of this year, the building has passed dozens of inspections but also failed 36 for a variety of reasons.
"We've been caged in. Every other weekend, every weekend damn near. We're caged in."
Linda Kidd has lived there for 10 years. She lives on the 11th floor.
"It's ok walking down, but walking up, you have people here with hip surgery. You have people here who go to dialysis. You have people here who are in the scooter chairs, the motor chairs. So there's a variety of individuals here who may not be 65," Kidd said.
Tenants hope to see a permanent solution.
"They can't be repaired. We need new elevators," Pitman said.
CBS 2 reached out to Princeton, who owns the building. It said it's aware of the issue and are working with their vendor and the city to keep the elevators working despite supply chain issues.