LACKAWANNA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Residents at a senior apartment complex in Lackawanna are raising concerns about living conditions at the property, alleging ongoing maintenance issues, and some tenants are afraid to speak publicly out of fear of retaliation.
Following a separate report on a West Seneca senior apartment complex that lost power when electricity was shut off amid a dispute involving its property management company, several people contacted me with concerns about properties managed by One Clover, including Orchard Place in Lackawanna.
One of them was John Salvalzo, whose 82-year-old mother lives at the senior apartment complex. Salvalzo said residents have experienced a variety of issues, including bed bugs, water leaks, mold concerns and delays in getting repairs.
He said some residents have wanted to speak publicly but are hesitant to do so.
"Quite a few of the elderly women wanted to reach out to you, afraid of retaliation," Salvalzo said. "My mother is afraid she's going to get evicted for this, as are a lot of the others, but someone has to stand up and say something to make sure something is done about this."
WATCH: Residents at Lackawanna senior complex allege maintenance issues, fear retaliation
Salvalzo said it has been difficult to watch his mother and other seniors deal with the concerns.
So, I brought those concerns to Orchard Place Property Manager Braiden McElhaney.
"We take care of our residents. We have full-time maintenance staff on site. We try to respond to work orders as soon as we can," McElhaney said. "So we're on top of making sure we're taking care of all of our residents."
In a statement, One Clover Management said it takes the upkeep of its communities seriously and conducts routine inspections.
The company said resident concerns are addressed through its standard process using qualified, licensed professionals, but declined to publicly discuss individual reports.
