A federal lawsuit filed this week by tenants at the St. Teresa of Calcutta Villa apartments in the East Village of downtown San Diego has brought attention to the broken elevators issue plaguing the building, which opened its doors in early 2022. This $145 million affordable housing project, partially funded by taxpayer money, was meant to offer a home for the homeless and was built with a focus on serving people impacted by homelessness and poverty, according KPBS.
Maria Ennis, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit and a resident since the building's opening, claims that one of the building's elevators breaks down almost every week, and they often encounter elevator doors taped up, signalling they are out of order, per CBS 8. Pictures and videos supporting her complaints were submitted as evidence, demonstrating instances where all three elevators were out of service while the fire alarm was going off, as KPBS reports. Due to the large number of disabled residents in the building who rely on wheelchairs and walkers for mobility, the malfunctioning elevators have left them stranded, isolated, and even caused them to miss important appointments.
Maurice Trull, another plaintiff in the lawsuit, alleges that the broken elevators interfered with his ability to leave the building, causing him to miss appointments and essentially isolating him in his apartment. Furthermore, fears of being trapped in a burning building are continually present for the disabled tenants, particularly as there have been at least two instances of fires breaking out in apartments within the building, which have resulted in scorch marks and boarded-up windows.
The lawsuit alleges housing discrimination, as the necessity for functional elevators among disabled residents has not been effectively addressed by the building's management, Father Joe's Villages. Father Joe's Villages responded in a statement, expressing their commitment to serving people impacted by homelessness and poverty and affirming that claims of housing discrimination are taken seriously. They also stated that they have an internal complaint process in place to remedy structural or maintenance issues discovered by residents.
Interestingly, an elevator service van was spotted at the St. Teresa of Calcutta Villa one day after the lawsuit was filed. Nonetheless, the residents' primary concern – the elevators being fixed promptly and put into proper working order – is yet to be determined.
