Broward County comissioners approve new rules that aim to solve elevator outages after residents' compliants

Residents of Broward County condominiums, many of whom are seniors, may soon see relief from a recurring problem: broken elevators that leave them trapped and helpless in their own homes.

The Broward County Commission approved new regulations this week targeting condo elevator maintenance, a move aimed at forcing building owners and homeowners' associations to establish formal protocols during outages.

The rules require buildings to have a clear plan for managing equipment failures, including specific procedures to assist residents who may be trapped. Furthermore, buildings must now identify backup service providers to ensure repairs can be made even if primary companies are unavailable or out of business. Failure to comply with these new protocols may result in fines for building management.

For many residents, the change is long overdue. Neal McGarry, who watched his parents struggle for nearly three decades in a Hollywood Beach condo building, said broken elevators were a constant source of anxiety. He recalled an incident where an outage in their six-story building lasted two months.

"It was a struggle for them going up and down the stairs," McGarry said. "There were elderly people, and we were worried there were people not getting out at all."

Commissioner Nan Rich, who has championed the issue, said she receives frequent calls from constituents facing similar predicaments.

"I received many calls, and many are elderly who can't get down the stairs," Rich said. "It's frightening."

While Rich believes the new local ordinance will help speed up the repair process, she acknowledged that more significant action might eventually be required at the state level to ensure resident accessibility.

McGarry, while supportive of the county's initial steps, remains skeptical that the ordinance goes far enough to protect the most vulnerable residents.

"They should do more," McGarry said. "What about the elderly who can't get out? Where is the plan to get them food?"