By Janice Podsada
Herald Writer
EVERETT — Ruth Taylor, 68, moved into a new senior housing complex expecting there would be a live-in resident manager in her building.
While Taylor describes herself as spry, she worries about senior residents who are physically challenged. Without a resident manager, she questions the staff’s ability to respond in an emergency.
Taylor and other residents of the 50-unit building are unhappy about the lack of a resident manager. Other buildings on the property have live-in managers.
But officials with Senior Services of Snohomish County say the term "resident manager" describes a group of managers who oversee the entire campus, not just one building.
Meadows I, II and III make up a three-building campus, located at 12th and Rainier streets in Everett, said Ellen Michaud, director of the county’s senior services housing management said
The entire complex offers 150 affordable housing units for seniors. It is managed by Senior Services. The rent for a one-bedroom unit is $400 a month or less, depending on a senior’s need.
"It would not be out of the norm to have one resident manager handling all of that campus, all three buildings," Michaud said.
Taylor said that during a recent emergency, firefighters had to break down the door of a resident’s apartment to get inside.
"They could get into the building, but since there wasn’t anybody inside to let them in the apartment they had to break down the door," she said.
Michaud said local firefighters and medics have access to a special on-site lock box, which holds a master key to all the buildings’ apartments.
But added, "I can’t be responsible for how the fire department keeps track of the key."
Michaud said the entire complex has resident managers who serve all three building and that residents’ fears are unfounded.
"We do have a resident manager for Meadows III. The resident lives in building 2, a few steps away," Michaud said.
"Our hard and fast rule is there is always a resident manager in the middle building, building two. There is a team of managers living in building two. One manager is dedicated to building two; one to building three."
In addition, Michaud said that every unit has emergency pull-cords in the bathroom and bedroom that are electronically connected to the resident managers’ units.
But Taylor said residents have experienced problems when deliveries arrive after the office closes.
"UPS brings medications and no one is there to accept it. They (management) want tenants to take care of one another."
Michaud, said residents need to remember, "the kind of housing we offer is independent living for seniors. We are not an assisted living complex, we don’t provide nursing home care."
But Taylor and resident June Allison, 72, disagree.
"The main thing we need is a resident manager to keep things running right in here," said Allison, who is visually impaired.
"Sure there is 911, but they don’t keep track of the keys to get in. All these things would be kept up by a resident manager."
You can call Herald Writer Janice Podsada at 425-339-3029 or send e-mail to podsada@heraldnet.com.
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