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Norfolk residents forced to leave high-rise, senior-living apartment after code violation

The City of Norfolk deemed the top floors of Lakewood Plaza "unsafe or unfit for habitation" because of broken elevators. Residents said it's a long-standing issue.

NORFOLK, Va. — People who live at Lakewood Plaza have a choice to either stay with family or stay in a hotel.

Residents of the senior-living apartment building have to find somewhere else to sleep tonight after the city of Norfolk deemed the high-rise "unfit for habitation". 

The City of Norfolk cited the building for a code violation because the only two elevators in the building are not working; and now, no one on the top floors is allowed to live there.

Residents of Lakewood Plaza said they are fed up.

Winfrey White was at the building today to pick up his mother.

"I'm highest of piss-sivity. Seriously. It just doesn't make sense," White said. "For something like this to happen, to get kicked out your own place and you're still paying rent - it's just not right."

On the front door of the high-rise was a notice from the city stating that floors two through twelve are "unsafe or unfit for habitation" so everyone on the top floors has to move out.

"I've been waiting for that sign for a long time," resident Donna Emmons said. "I've been having to climb down and up 288 steps to take my dog out four or five times a day." 

RELATED: Residents upset over out-out-service elevators at senior living high-rise apartment

Residents said it's a long-standing issue, the elevators have gone in and out of service for a year. Residents said they long worried it was a fire hazard. 

It's a big problem because some people in the senior living community rely on wheelchairs and walkers.

Loretta Bishop said she and her family had to carry their mother-in-law to her apartment when the elevators broke down again over the weekend.

"We physically had to carry her and her electric wheelchair up three flights of stairs," Bishop said.

"There were actually some instances where people couldn't even get to the 12th floor and had to sit downstairs because they couldn't get to where they live." 

Residents said management told everyone on the top floors to pack enough clothes for a week and go stay with family.

"Pretty much get your stuff and you have to go," Bishop said.

For those who don't have anywhere to go, management is footing the bill for hotels.

"I'm on my way to the hotel now with my dog," Emmons said.

Residents are being relocated to La Quinta Inn in Norfolk. 

They were told that after the elevators are fixed, everyone can move back in.

"It is extremely outrageous and I wish there was more protocols and people set into place to make sure that this doesn't happen," Bishop said. "Because this can happen to anybody's family member."

A spokesperson for the City of Norfolk said the building is required to have a fire watch on each floor.

A woman at the Lakewood Plaza front office said management does not have a comment.

But management previously told 13NewsNow that the building is being sold to a new owner who has plans to upgrade the elevators.

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