BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — With an Affordable Housing Project in the works, a new day is on the horizon for residents at Plaza Towers.
A property surrounded by years of allegations regarding unsafe property conditions. However, residents say that day can’t come soon enough.
“The building is old, the elevator goes out every other day,” said resident, Lorenzo Callahan. “There is a crack on one side that I know is not a healthy thing, so the building is getting old and that’s one of the reasons they want to get us out of here.”
The infamous Plaza Towers are more than 50-years-old and house low-income, as well as senior residents, but the facility is swirling with allegations of safety and sanitary issues. A 2022 grand jury report found the security cameras are often covered, there is a lack of security, and the facility needs proper maintenance and is due for repair.
“There are people that are in wheelchairs and they put them on the 12th floor…they never should have been put up there,” said Callahan. “That causes a lot of health problems, people angry all the time because you can hardly walk. The elevator will go out or there’s a fire alert, and you can’t do anything for hours.”