A resident of the United Jewelers Apartments in downtown Shreveport says recurring elevator outages have made daily life difficult for tenants, particularly those who are elderly or have disabilities.

Impact on Residents

The tenant, who contacted KTBS 3 and requested not to be identified, said the building’s elevator has been out of service for extended periods, forcing residents to climb stairs to reach their apartments. The tenant stated that the elevator has been out of service for as long as seven months at a time, with the most recent outage lasting about two to three months.

The repeated trips up and down the stairs have caused physical pain and led to a more isolated lifestyle for some residents. The tenant noted that people in wheelchairs are basically trapped inside their homes, unable to get out and get some sun.

Response from Management

According to the building’s assistant manager, the elevator was repaired Wednesday. She said it had been out of service for about six weeks while the property waited for specialized replacement parts.

HRI Properties, the New Orleans-based company that owns United Jewelers Apartments, said resident safety remains its top priority. The company stated that staff conducted wellness checks during the outage to identify residents who needed assistance accessing the ground floor and emailed tenants encouraging them to contact the management office if they needed help.

However, the tenant disputed this claim, stating that the repeated outages have taken a toll and they plan to move out as soon as possible.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.