Congressman Al Green (D-TX) was met by security guards at the Jubilee at Texas Parkway senior home after residents reached out in hopes of getting elevators fixed, claiming they have been stuck in their homes for months, KHOU 11 reports.
Green, elected officials, and media representatives were invited by residents at the home in Missouri City to draw attention to the issue, as senior residents allege that the broken elevators have kept them confined to their units. Security guards attempted to block the invited officials and media from entering, claiming they would lose their jobs if they permitted them to access the area. One guard said they couldn’t be on private property, taking advice from management.
“Y’all want me to lose my job because y’all wanna come in,” the unidentified guard said after KHOU reporter Matt Dougherty assured him they were invited.
It wasn’t until Missouri City police officers stepped in to rectify the problem that Doughtery and Green were able to speak to residents.
Miss Hennie, who lives on the fourth floor, says she has had to cancel doctors’ appointments due to mobility issues that stop her from using the stairs. The 85-year-old claims she hasn’t left her apartment in two months. “I just missed my appointment last Tuesday, and I told them why I had to cancel because I can’t get up and down the stairs,” the resident complained.
Her issues were supported by Green, who uses a cane and was forced to climb 80 steps to speak with her.
Green sent a letter to the complex owner, Gardner Capital, in an attempt to schedule a meeting before visiting the property in person, but the meeting was declined. In response to Green’s letter, Jubilee staff say they have been checking on residents and have even offered temporary accommodations free of cost, as they are waiting for a part to fix the elevator.
But residents said that’s not the case.
The congressman feels exposure of the issue has sparked communication from the complex and feels that’s a positive outcome; however, he still feels a meeting is necessary. “I think that this is a part of the positive development as a result of the exposure that this has received. We will continue with the exposure and process. Let’s have a positive outcome. I think we are heading towards a positive outcome, but I don’t believe it will happen without that meeting,” Green said in a statement, according to Click 2 Houston.
“For the meeting to have the positive outcome that we seek, it’s going to be necessary to have the press, especially when tax dollars are involved. The people have a right to know. We fully anticipate that this can end on a positive note; for that to occur, we need people to be aware of how this is concluding. I can’t end it and walk away with people wondering, ‘what happened at Jubilee? What happened to our tax dollars?”
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