Landlord Of Federally Financed & Rent-Subsidized 3-Story Building Housing Poor Senior Citizens Takes 5+ Weeks To Fix Broken Elevator; Renters Respond w/ Fair Housing Suit Alleging Failure To Make Timely Repairs & Provide Reasonable Accommodations For Residents w/ Disabilities While Equipment Was Inoperative

In Indianapolis, Indiana, The Indiana Lawyer reports:

• The owners of an apartment complex who took nearly two months to repair a broken elevator, leaving residents with disabilities essentially stranded in their apartments, have been sued over the summer 2015 incident.
  
  Capitol Station in Indianapolis, financed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, provides housing for people ages 62 and older.(1) The three-story building is advertised as wheelchair accessible, and many of the residents have mobility issues and are unable to take the stairs, according to the complaint filed by four residents and the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana Inc.(2)
  
  The federal lawsuit alleges that Capitol Station was without a working elevator for five and half weeks in August and September 2015, resulting in harm to residents with disabilities. The FHCCI conducted an investigation after being contacted by residents.
  
  Plaintiffs allege owners and management failed to make repairs in a timely fashion and refused to provide reasonable accommodations to residents with disabilities, causing “physical harm, humiliation and emotional stress.” They seek damages under the federal and Indiana Fair Housing Acts and an order that the defendants receive training and alter their policies and practices to provide reasonable accommodations to disabled tenants residing in their property.

Source: Apartment residents sue over broken elevator.

For the lawsuit, see Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, Inc., et al. v. United Church Services Of Indianapolis, Indiana, et al.

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(1) According to the lawsuit, "[r]esidents of Capitol Station pay 30% of their adjusted monthly income for rent. The balance of the rental portion for each tenant is paid to Capitol Station by HUD."

(2) The Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana is a private, non-profit fair housing organization founded in 2011. Its mission is to ensure equal housing opportunities by eliminating housing discrimination through advocacy, enforcement, education and outreach. Section 8