The Texas senior living complex faced $381,400 in fines due to inoperable elevators leaving residents stranded. One of the elevators was repaired Friday night.
MISSOURI CITY, Texas — The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has issued a $381,400 administrative penalty against the Jubilee at Texas Parkway, a senior living complex. Residents have reportedly been stranded on upper floors for nearly two months due to inoperable elevators.
A resident tells KHOU 11 that one of the elevators was restored to working order Friday night.
This comes after residents on upper floors told KHOU 11 News they have been unable to leave their rooms since early May.
“This is a very large amount of money, and it’s an indication of seriously we’re taking this issue,” TDLR spokesperson Tela Mange said in an exclusive interview Friday with KHOU 11's Orko Manna. “It’s certainly concerning that this facility has been operating for a number of years and has not had the required certificate of compliance.”
According to TDLR, neither of the complex's elevators is currently working, and the building owner has not reported them as out of service as required by state law.
Violations cited by TDLR
The agency’s investigation found multiple violations tied to inspection, reporting, and maintenance requirements:
The building owner is legally responsible for keeping elevators up to code, having annual inspections, posting a Certificate of Compliance, and reporting any out-of-service elevators to TDLR within 30 days.
TDLR noted that one elevator was last inspected in 2023 and the other in 2025, but neither inspection was properly reported to the state. Additionally, neither elevator currently has a valid Certificate of Compliance, which is required for operation.
What happens next
TDLR says the building owner must now bring the elevators into full compliance and obtain valid Certificates of Compliance for both units. If corrective action is not taken, the agency may pursue an Emergency Shutdown Order.
“They need to come into compliance as soon as possible, so in other words, the elevators at the facility need to be in operation and useable by the residents as soon as possible,” Mange said. “The next steps will be that they respond and say either, hey, we fixed the problem, we haven’t been able to fix the problem, here’s what’s going on, and then we’ll go from there. It’s possible that they could negotiate a much lower assessment if they are able to bring their property into compliance and to fix all the issues that have been going on.”
The complex’s owner has 20 days from receiving the Notice of Alleged Violation to request a hearing with the State Office of Administrative Hearings. If no hearing is requested, TDLR may issue a default order imposing penalties and sanctions.
The agency’s enforcement process allows for settlement offers and outlines options for respondents who wish to contest or appeal the decision.
KHOU 11 will provide updates as this case continues through the state’s enforcement process.
What residents are saying
KHOU 11 spoke to Jubilee residents Betty Benford and Myrtle Welcome this week, who both live on the second floor, to get their thoughts on the state taking action.
Benford, who has been speaking out against the broken elevators to help her wheelchair-bound husband, said she prays the TDLR notice means the complex will take quicker action.
“All I can hope for is that. I pray that they see the error of their way, of not taking care of the people that they built this complex for,” Benford said, expressing gratitude to the TDLR. “I am thankful that someone else is seeing the plight of us.”
Welcome agreed, stating, “I hope it leads to a solution for them to be better landlords, to think about their tenants, have compassion.”
How apartment management and elevator servicers are responding
The public relations team for the Jubilee's management company, Asset Living, would not directly comment about the TDLR alleged violation notice or fines. However, they provided the following statement Friday:
“At Asset Living, the mobility and well-being of our residents remain our priority. We are aware of the significant inconvenience caused by elevator outages at our communities, and we deeply empathize with the frustration this has caused.
We want to assure our residents that we are actively working closely with the city, property owners, and our elevator service provider, Elevators of Beaumont. Together, we are implementing a strategic plan designed to expedite repairs and restore full elevator service as quickly and safely as possible.”
For the first time, KHOU 11 also heard Friday from Elevators of Beaumont about what it was doing to solve the elevator issues. President Brett Stark said, in a statement:
“Our technicians have been actively working to identify every possible way to accelerate repairs. This includes sourcing hard-to-find parts, repurposing compatible components from other elevator units, and navigating ongoing supply chain challenges with urgency. These repairs are a top priority for our team, and we are working diligently to repair the site's elevator as fast as possible.”
Public officials weigh in
State Senator Boris Miles sent a statement regarding the latest updates on the Jubilee elevators, saying:
“It is unacceptable and unconscionable that the elevators at Jubilee at Texas Parkway, a senior independent living facility, have been out of service for nearly two months! Our seniors are the most vulnerable members of our community, and those living in this facility have been left with nothing but excuses.
When my office was contacted about this issue, I reached out to the owner of Jubilee, Gardner Capital, but received no response. To find solutions, I collaborated with Congressman Al Green and Missouri City Council Member Jeffrey L. Boney. Despite violation notices issued by Missouri City, the elevator service was still not restored. I then escalated the matter to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which imposed over $300,000 in fines on this housing project.
Changes must be made, and those responsible for senior living facilities must be held accountable. We cannot allow these facilities, especially those serving our seniors, to take advantage of our most vulnerable citizens. I will continue to put pressure on the Jubilee management company and its owner until the power to the elevators is restored.
In the future, I plan to work on legislation in the next legislative session aimed at protecting our most vulnerable residents by addressing these issues within senior independent living facilities.”
Missouri City Council Member Jeffrey L. Boney, who has also been very involved with getting residents solutions, told KHOU 11 that the citations and fines from the city are ongoing.
“We’re continuously, as long as the elevators are out, we’re continuously fining and citing them. Nothing changes from that perspective. We gave authority to our city attorney to file a civil lawsuit if necessary,” Boney said.