ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — There are calls for action and answers in St. Petersburg after the elevator at Burlington Post Apartment Complex, a 55-and-older community, has been out of order since New Year's Eve.
People who live at Burlington Post tell us the elevator has been out of order several times since the building opened in 2018, but never for this long.
The management company, Royal American Companies, tells us they're facing a complex issue.
"Kone Elevator initially believed they had pinpointed the problem, but further examination over the weekend revealed that the situation was more intricate than initially determined. The service team is currently evaluating and addressing the motor and brake system to ensure a comprehensive and lasting repair," Royal American shared in a statement with 10 Tampa Bay.
Charlotte McKinnie relies on a wheelchair and lives on the fourth floor of the building. She tells us she has been trapped for the last eleven days now, with no end in sight.
"I can't go out. I can't go downstairs, I can't go to doctor's appointments," McKinnie said. "Very stuck, very stuck."
After several missed doctor's appointments, McKinnie said she may now be forced to reschedule a needed shoulder surgery.
"I need it real bad, real bad," she explained.
Many residents approached 10 Tampa Bay while we were on site to share how they are struggling with this situation.
"It's been a nightmare," resident Desiree Williams said. "I try not to have to go up and down the stairs. If I go upstairs, I stay upstairs. I have an autoimmune disorder and it's too much, and I can hardly breathe."
Royal American tells us in a statement, "Updates are consistently being communicated through text messages and posted notices in common areas. Our community management team remains accessible to address any concerns or provide further assistance to residents."
But some residents said that's not enough.
"Guess what time they knock off work? 5:00," Arlene Garner said.
According to reports we obtained through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the elevator failed inspection twice last year and its license has been expired for 16 months.
The tenants say such "negligence" has left them feeling their safety and well-being aren't being made a priority.
"It may not seem, uh, like an emergency, but it is an emergency," resident Stanley Gammage said. "Is there nobody else who cares for our elders, including myself? We need somebody to come in and make some decisions in trying to get this taken care of."
Resident James Reed said, "We are somebody, you know, we are somebody. We got a voice. And they are not doing their job."
A spokesperson with the city of St. Petersburg said that the St. Petersburg Code Enforcement team and a St. Petersburg Fire Rescue inspector visited the apartment complex on Wednesday afternoon.
Code enforcement found the building to violate the city code that requires them to keep the building in a safe condition and working order. It gives them until the end of the month to repair the elevator, at which point they can decide whether to fine the building up to $250 per day.