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Residents of The Lenox, an apartment complex in Merritt Island formerly known as Courtney Springs Village, are once again facing challenges with non-functional elevators, leaving many elderly and disabled individuals trapped in their homes. Just days after repairs were reportedly completed, multiple elderly and disabled residents found themselves unable to use the elevators, prompting emergency services to step in.
Late last night, Brevard County Fire Rescue crews from stations 41, 43, and 46, along with the Merritt Island Volunteer Fire Department, responded to the scene. Over 20 residents were stranded, many on the 10th and 11th floors, with some relying on electric chairs and other mobility aids. Firefighters carried them, along with their personal belongings, to their apartments.
The situation mirrors a similar incident that occurred during Hurricane Milton, when families reached out to us for help as their loved ones were stranded for days due to malfunctioning elevators. This marks the second time in just weeks that residents have been left in this precarious situation, raising concerns about the safety and reliability of the building’s infrastructure.
One resident, who suffers from colon cancer and multiple sclerosis, reached out to The Space Coast Rocket directly and expressed her frustration, detailing how she was forced to climb several flights of stairs due to the non-functioning elevators. “This is a violation of the ADA,” she said. “I’m not scared to speak up. Someone has to hold them accountable. I just found out today that there’s nothing else they can do for my cancer, and then I come home to this.”
According to residents, the complex has faced five code violations in the past three years, and the ongoing elevator issues have been a major source of stress for those who live there. The complex was originally for 55+ citizens, but recently changed to 18+ without approval or consideration for the current tenants according to them. One elevator has reportedly been down for six months, despite the fact that residents are charged $900 a month for meals and a base rent of over $1,475 plus utilities. Some tenants claim the building management has repeatedly failed to address their concerns, leading to feelings of neglect and helplessness. They state that the stairwell they are being forced to use to climb the 11 flights is full of mold from a previous fire.
Residents are calling for more accountability from the management company, which has allegedly failed to provide timely and reliable repairs, leaving them in dangerous and frustrating conditions. Some have contacted law firms like Morgan & Morgan, and others have reached out to local news and code enforcement, urging for immediate action to resolve the situation.
One resident, a disabled veteran, echoed the sentiment of many, saying, “We feel like nobodies. We don’t count. We are old and a burden.”
We we originally reported on The Lenox during Milton, they responded the next day with the following post, which has since been deleted from their Facebook page.
Efforts are underway to get further information on the incident, and residents are hopeful that this time, the necessary repairs will be completed, and accountability measures will be taken to prevent such incidents from happening again.