We are residents of Northpoint Apartments, San Francisco, CA. The elevator servicing the more than 50 units at 265 North Point Street has been broken since November 2023.

North Point Apartments (NPA) sent notice to tenants on December 4, 2023, that the elevator was broken. In that letter, NPA advised tenants use the elevator in the adjacent building, located at 2390 Powell Street. That elevator services more than 40 units at 2390 Powell Street.

NPA has failed to provide tenants with any updates on the repair status of the 265 North Point elevator. Repeated tenant inquiries have gone unanswered. 

The broken elevator impacts tenants in the building who suffer from health conditions and mobility issues. Having to walk the extra 100 steps each way to the adjacent building to access the only working elevator is unreasonably arduous.

The broken elevator inconveniences tenants who want to access the 265 lobby for mail and packages, and who have visitors they must physically retrieve from the lobby due to the lack of elevator access.

The broken elevator is an inconvenience for tenants who want to carry recycling and compost to associated bins in the garage, and who wish to access laundry and other facilities.

Tenants in the 265 North Point Street building are now more likely to have packages and other deliveries stolen when they are left in the 265 North Point lobby by delivery drivers who lack access to an elevator that previously enabled them to deliver packages to tenants’ doors. This is evidenced by the strong uptick in package thefts from the 265 North Point Street lobby since the elevator has been out of service.

The 265 North Point elevator previously serviced 52 units in the building. The 2390 Powell Street elevator is supposed to service 42 units. Since November 2023, the 2390 Powell Street elevator is servicing 94 units in both buildings, making the wait time for the only working elevator unreasonable.

If the 2390 Powell Street elevator breaks, there will be no working elevators accessible to all 92 units in both buildings. This is a safety hazard, especially to those tenants with health concerns and mobility issues.

According to the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), landlords are required under federal law to make reasonable accommodations for tenants with disabilities. This includes maintaining accessible features such as elevators (source: HUD). Despite this regulation, our landlord has yet to take action.

This petition calls on local authorities, landlords, and property owners to uphold their responsibilities under federal law. We urge them not only for the sake of those with mobility issues and health concerns, but also for all residents who rely on and pay for these essential services within their living spaces.

Please join us in demanding that NPA landlords and property owners be held accountable for maintaining accessible housing facilities including functional elevators. Sign this petition today!