Morrisania tenants say broken elevator leaves residents trapped in their homes
Tenants at 870 Freeman St. told News 12 the elevator has been breaking down for years.
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Residents of a six-story apartment building in Morrisania say a broken elevator has become more than an inconvenience. They say it's keeping some people trapped inside their homes and raising concerns about what could happen during an emergency.
Tenants at 870 Freeman St. told News 12 the elevator has been breaking down for years. They said the problem has recently gotten worse, with the elevator sometimes working for only a day before going out of service again for weeks.
For Rafael Soriano, who uses a wheelchair, the outages have made it difficult to leave his apartment. He said he has missed doctor's appointments and worries about how he would escape if a fire broke out.
Residents who are able to use the stairs say they have little choice when the elevator is out.
"I got to go out. I got to go to the supermarket. I got to do things, I got to wash clothes," said Angela Garcia. "With the elevator, it's very uncomfortable for us."
Garcia said she has fallen twice while using the stairwell.
"If I fall and I go out, stop breathing, I'm going to die in the stairwell and no one will know!" she said.
Tenants also pointed to what they described as other ongoing maintenance issues, including mold, water damage, a poorly maintained courtyard and a notice from Con Edison warning that electrical service could be shut off because of unpaid bills.
"It's very disheartening to know you live in a building of people who don't care," resident Veronica Williams said.
News 12 reached out to Shinda Management for comment and is waiting to hear back.
