In Denver’s Baker neighborhood, residents at Hirschfeld Towers say broken elevators have turned everyday life into a grind for older adults and people with disabilities. Seventy-nine-year-old Rena Rosenbaum, who uses a wheelchair and lives on the top (ninth) floor, says she was stuck in the lobby for more than three hours after both elevators went out at the same time. Tenants and nearby neighbors describe a pattern of outages that turns basic errands and medical appointments into logistical battles.
Residents Call The Problem ‘Continual’
“It’s just a continual problem,” Rosenbaum said, describing the recurring breakdowns at the two-elevator high-rise. As reported by Denver7, residents say they are increasingly dependent on informal help from others in the building, which leaves them exposed in emergencies. Routine trips for groceries or medical care can become difficult or impossible without a working elevator, they say.
Building Records And Operators
Hirschfeld Towers is managed by the Denver Housing Authority, which lists the property at 333 W Ellsworth Ave and notes that it contains 209 units. ProPublica’s HUD Inspect database likewise lists A B Hirschfeld Towers with 209 units, confirming the size of the public-housing complex. Both the Denver Housing Authority and ProPublica’s HUD Inspect present official records for the building.
Neighbors Step In When Elevators Fail
Volunteers like Miguel Lopez say they routinely haul groceries, check on neighbors, and call authorities when the elevator cars stop running, but residents stress that goodwill is no replacement for safe, reliable machinery. Lopez and others told Denver7 they worry the building, which houses hundreds of low-income seniors and people with disabilities, is being neglected.
Past Fixes, Manual Operation And Safety Concerns
Industry coverage has highlighted stopgap fixes at older Denver towers, including situations where technicians manually operated elevator cars while work was underway. The Denver Fire Department has said that kind of workaround can be authorized in special circumstances. ElevatorWorld reported on the practice and the anxiety it sparked among residents, who say temporary measures have not resolved recurring reliability issues.
Rights And Remedies Under Federal Rules
Federal housing rules require public-housing agencies to consider reasonable accommodations when essential accessibility features are unavailable. HUD guidance and rulemaking state that PHAs should offer alternatives such as temporary relocation or in-building assistance during prolonged outages. Guidance in the Federal Register and HUD PIH notices frames those obligations and outlines how residents can formally request accommodations if elevator repairs leave them unable to access their homes, per Federal Register / HUD…