Southeast Atlanta seniors fear catastrophe amid constant elevator breakdowns

Complaints of mass safety issues at senior living facility at Auburn Point

Residents at The Veranda at Auburn Point are worried about ongoing safety concerns, elevator outages, and infestations. One 98-year-old resident said he manages, but others report being stranded on upper floors. Families say the issues have gone on for months and want urgent action to ensure residents’ safety.

ATLANTA - Seniors at a southeast Atlanta living facility say constantly broken elevators and a growing roach infestation have created a dangerous environment that could lead to a catastrophe.

What they're saying:

Residents at the Veranda at Auburn Pointe on Hilliard Street say the mechanical failures often leave them stranded on upper floors. Jerome Owens, 68, said the lack of reliable elevator service forces residents to cancel medical visits.

"A lot of them say I gotta get to the doctor, and they can't get to the doctor. People don't want to walk up the steps or go down, and they have to cancel their appointments. In a wheelchair, you can't get down, and they find out the elevator is broken, and it makes everybody angry. They get frustrated," Owens said.

Owens added that the situation is a safety hazard for the community of seniors aged 55 and older. "We all in danger, I realize that. But I don't know how to fix an elevator," he said.

The building is owned by The Integral Group. A spokesperson for the company said the property is a functioning, actively managed community rather than a neglected one.

"As with any multi-story building, elevators can experience occasional service interruptions. And during the holidays, elevator service providers are often stretched thin as technicians observe the holidays. Even in those periods, it remains operational and available to residents," the spokesperson said.

However, residents describe a deeper decline in building conditions. Wayne McCay, 68, said one elevator had been out of service for eight months.

"The building has gone down. We have a lot of roaches in the apartments. They are coming from under the rugs. They’re rolling all over the place," McCay said.

Other residents reported that strangers have been sleeping in the lobby, further increasing fears for their safety. One 81-year-old resident told reporters he has been staying with his daughter because he no longer feels comfortable sleeping in his roach-infested apartment.

What's next:

While management maintains that at least one elevator remains operational, residents say the frequent breakdowns are a long-term problem. Some have reached out to the mayor's office seeking a permanent solution.