Dosker Manor residents stranded when elevators stop working

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A number of residents were left stranded Friday for hours after the elevators at the city’s Dosker Manor broke down yet again. The public housing apartment complex is home to many senior citizens and people with mobility issues, like Mark Wilson.

Wilson wrote into the Troubleshooter Tipline to tell WAVE News he was stranded in his own apartment.

“No, it’s not fair. It’s not fair,” Wilson said. “It wouldn’t be happening anywhere else, that’s for sure. Only at Dosker Manor, a place where people have been forgotten.”

Wilson is in a wheelchair and lives on the 9th floor.

“It very much impacts people like me because once again, it’s a fire hazard,” he said. “And if something happens, I wouldn’t be able to get down those steps like everyone else.”

As our crew hiked up to meet him, we met several other residents along the way. Some were sitting in the stairwell, too tired to continue climbing up or go down.

One senior citizen had his groceries with him in a cart. He lives on the 17th floor and tried to carry his items with him. He was winded and sitting on a step. He told us the elevators stop working all the time, leaving many with no choice.

Several other residents spoke to us as well, frustrated with the conditions and scared it could lead to a disaster if there was a fire.

Dare to Care was handing out food in the parking lot. People like Wilson were unable to gather items, while others sat outside with melting food items hoping the elevators would start working again soon.

District 4 Councilman Jecorey Arthur called Dosker Manor a death trap. He said the elevators have been down every time he’s visited the complex. Arthur said it’s dangerous, and if there’s a fire, people will die.

Arthur gave a glimmer of hope. He spoke of a group of residents that are mobilizing to demand change. The residents are meeting every week on Tuesday and Thursdays and hope to pressure the city into permanently fixing the elevators. Wilson hopes they can get something done since past efforts have not yielded change.

“This place has no accountability,” Wilson said. “So you can complain all you want and nothing gets done.”

WAVE News Troubleshooters have called the Louisville Metro Housing Authority to get answers about the elevators.

While the Louisville Fire Department gets us answers as to the number of calls they’ve had to respond to because of the elevators, Troubleshooters are crafting open records requests to see exactly how much money has been allocated and towards what.

If you would like more information about the group of tenants’ effort, contact 502-509-1393.

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