# Poughkeepsie seniors stuck waiting for elevator fix



## mark handler (Aug 13, 2016)

Poughkeepsie seniors stuck waiting for elevator fix

Lakeview Arms apartments in Poughkeepsie cited for code violations by town
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/...lakeview-arms-elevator-poughkeepsie/87618734/





Renee Carlton had hip surgery in March.

A 60-year-old resident of Lakeview Arms in the Town of Poughkeepsie, Carlton was supposed to be visited by an aide Wednesday, according to her daughter, Ronnette Lawrence.

But the aide did not come for the very same reason Carlton can't leave her sixth-floor apartment — the elevator at the federally subsidized complex for seniors and the disabled has not functioned for a week.

"This," Lawrence said, "is just not cool."

Lakeview Arms has been without elevator service since July 20, according to Town of Poughkeepsie Building Inspector Tim Sickles, and there is no estimate when the service will be restored.

ickles said inspectors served building management Monday with three summonses for building code violations.

The six-floor, 71-unit complex is owned by California Commercial Investments, or CCI, based in Westlake Village, California. Phone messages left for management at Lakeview Arms and CCI were not returned Wednesday.

In a memo distributed to tenants Wednesday, management said the elevator had been struck by lightning, shorting out components. It said it had placed chairs on stairwell landings "so that breaks can be taken when walking up and down."

The memo provided no time estimate for the repairs, but it indicated office staff would be available to assist with errands during business hours.

"It’s gone beyond inconvenience at this point," said Diana Elsener, a 36-year-old tenant. "It’s now a serious safety hazard."

Sickles said repair technicians were on site Wednesday. He said it is not the first time the elevator has failed, though he could not immediately provide details about past breakdowns.

CCI owns and manages 56 properties with more than 5,700 units in 20 states. The properties include senior affordable apartment complexes, conventional apartment communities and investment units.

On its website, CCI provides the following mission statement:

"We take pride in providing a safe, clean and well maintained living environment for all of our residents, in a cost efficient manner, while applying the highest standard of customer service."


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