Residents urge city to address accessibility and mold concerns at Silver Village senior housing

Public commenters told the Livonia City Council on Sept. 8 that residents at the Silver Village and Newberg Village assisted-living facilities are facing accessibility and maintenance problems that, they said, put older residents at risk. Those speakers asked the council and city administration to intervene and improve training for on-site managers.

Speakers said the facilities’ configuration and recent operational decisions make it unsafe for residents who rely on wheelchairs and walkers. A resident who spoke during the audience-communication period said, “You can't just tear apart somebody's bathroom and not have them be able to use it,” and added that a resident “almost tripped trying to go back to a room in the middle of the night.” The commenter urged training for the interim manager and said a new manager is expected to begin by the end of the month.

The issue arose during the public-comment portion of the study session and was raised again by another resident, who said he had previously reported loud conditions at Silver Village and Newberg Village and planned additional public outreach. He also said he had filed Freedom of Information Act requests seeking elevator inspection reports and maintenance logs for other public facilities (see separate article on the civic center library elevator).

The statements at the study session were appeals to the council and administration rather than requests that produced a formal vote. No council motion or staff report was recorded on the Silver Village or Newberg Village management practices during the session. Speakers requested that the city enforce landlord and facility standards where applicable and called for clearer oversight and training for facility managers.

Council members did not take formal action at the Sept. 8 study session on Silver Village operations. The public comments were logged and will be considered as part of the council’s ongoing oversight responsibilities; the session did not record a referral, vote, or directive to a specific department.

Community members and speakers asked the council to ensure inspections and to apply existing enforcement where required. The public commenters identified the need for transparency about who is responsible for remediation and urged coordination between the city, the facility operator, and state enforcement agencies.

The council’s study-session agenda proceeded after the public-comment period; any follow-up on these allegations would require staff reports or formal agenda items at a future regular meeting.