Senior citizens hold protest over apartment conditions

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- There are some very discontented tenants of a senior citizen high rise in South Philadelphia.

Several dozen senior citizens blocked Washington Avenue between 3rd and 4th streets Monday morning, to protest what they say is bad management at the Courtyard at Riverview.

The senior citizen apartment building, is subsidized by the Philadelphia Housing Authority, but owned and managed by the Michaels Organization out of Marlton, New Jersey.

The seniors say the on-site manager is disrespectful to them and doesn't respond to their requests for maintenance.

"I've been here 15 years and my rug hasn't been washed and cleaned. It stuck to the floor and they won't come fix it," resident Jane Azzinaro said.

"This woman put senior citizens out of their home who were $2 short on their rent," resident Robert Fortune said.

Residents showed Action News a broken elevator, which they say is a persistent problem.

The seniors say final straw came Friday, when they say Sample locked them out of the common social room.

We tried to talk with the manager about the residents' complaints, but got a closed door instead.

We then went to the offices of the Michaels Organization. A spokesperson, Laura Zaner, told us she was aware of the tenants' complaints, but referred to them as a personnel issue, which she is unable to discuss with us on camera.

In an email, Zaner said the company is planning to meet with the residents soon to discuss their concerns.

She added that the broken elevator is under contract to be repaired, that residents can request the common room be unlocked for their use, and that any evictions are processed by an attorney following the letter of the law.