Broward County, in South Florida, has moved to address a persistent complaint from residents: broken elevators in condominium buildings. This week, county commissioners approved a new set of rules intended to make sure people are not left stranded in their own homes because of faulty machinery.
Officials say the problem is widespread, particularly in the county's many smaller buildings of around six to ten stories, where tens of thousands of people live. The county commission said it hears about malfunctioning elevators constantly, with the issue most often hitting elderly residents who cannot manage the stairs.
Under the new rules, condo building owners or homeowners associations must establish protocols for what happens during an outage. That includes how to help people who may be trapped, and a requirement to identify other service providers if a needed part is not available. Buildings that fail to comply will face fines, and the rules take effect immediately.
Commissioner Nan Rich, who pushed for the change, said she has received many calls from residents both in and outside her district who have lived through the problem. She said it usually involves elderly seniors who cannot get downstairs, and described the situation as frightening for those affected.
The human impact was underscored by residents who shared their experiences. One man described how his elderly parents, in a six-story Hollywood condo, were often forced to take the stairs when the elevator broke down, with his father using a walker and his mother in her eighties making the climb up and down over a period of weeks.
Even with the new rules in place, some say they do not go far enough, asking what the plan is for elderly residents who cannot get out at all, including how they will be checked on and fed. Officials note that because elevators are regulated by the state, while inspections fall to the county, any stricter measures may ultimately need to come from the state legislature.