Last month, UT began managing and making repairs to the Dobie Twenty21 housing complex, where residents have experienced unfavorable living conditions since the beginning of the school year. 

Residents faced unreliable washers and dryers and unkempt elevators, which discouraged many of them from renewing their leases. The University took over management of the property from Trinity Property Consultants on Feb 1. according to Don Ates, director of residential facilities for University Housing and Dining. Some residents said the problems have begun to slowly improve since the change in management.

Psychology freshman Niki Dashtban and her roommates cleaned the Dobie elevators themselves March 1, after they became tired of the squalor.

“The elevators shake really loudly. It is really scary,” Dashtban said. “There is hair everywhere, random stains and footprints on the walls and tiles falling off.” 

Theatre studies freshman Skyler Quait said the elevators can be scary.

“There have been a couple instances where I’m in the elevator on the third floor, and it drops a flight,” Quait said. “All of us freak out, and we just like to leave the elevator.”  

Ates said UHD has heard the concerns, and renovations on the elevators are in the final stages of completion.  

Dashtban said throughout the school year residents encountered broken washing machines and dryers. Ates said UHD finished installing new machines at the beginning of March, but residents say problems have persisted.

While the University replaced the machines, some of them weren’t plugged in, Dashtban said, and residents on her floor couldn’t use their washers and dryers in the week before spring break.

A broken pipe flooded resident Mary Dougherty’s room when the University installed the new washers and dryers. 

“A pipe burst through the process of installing the new ones,” radio-television-film freshman Dougherty said. “My whole floor was completely flooded, and there was a massive leak coming from the ceiling.” 

Dougherty said when it started happening, she talked to the front desk, and a repair person came to fix the problem within 30 minutes to an hour.

Psychology sophomore Maanasa Ravipati said the new resident assistants with the University are an improvement from the RAs under previous management because they communicate more information to residents.

“What’s important is that as students come up with issues they submit maintenance requests to us, and when we get the maintenance request, we address it immediately,” Ates said. 

Trinity Property Consultants did not respond to requests for comment.