It's a problem leaving some high rise residents in Waikiki stranded, prisoners in their own apartments.

The Canal House condominium along the Ala Wai has had elevator troubles for months now. But within the last few days things have gotten much worse.

"Ah, Canal House rocket service on 22. I think that's where we are," Dan Coyle, Canal House Board of Directors Vice-President, said into his cell phone as he awaited the elevator.

That is how you catch the elevator these days at the Canal House.

"Yeah for this now, we do it just like manual. Because it can not stop on its floor unless they call us, and we pick them up," said O.J., chief maintenance man for the building. He spent much of his Wednesday running the elevator from inside.

"We've had either the resident manger or our number one maintenance man all day, but they can't do that on a 24-hour basis," Coyle said.

And for some residents like Sanchia Roberts the elevator trouble is much more than an inconvenience.

"It's affecting people's health, our elderly and disabled. I'm disabled. I have rheumatoid arthritis. I can not climb up a flight of stairs, much less 17," she said from outside her 17th floor apartment.

There are two elevators in the building. The one that still works has been acting up for days. The other one has been out of commission for some time.

"The main issue is that it's been ongoing for four months, since they took the first elevator out of service, said it would be done in six weeks, and four months later it isn't," Roberts said.

Hawaiian Vertical Transportation is the company contracted to do the repair work on these elevators, and there has been a worker at the building doing his best.

"The elevator people have had someone sleeping up on the roof, even overnight, so that we're covered in case of emergency," Coyle said.

The emergency help is appreciated, but residents want their elevators permanently fixed, and soon.

"Not my favorite people this moment, not in the least. They really have to address their issues. They signed the contract. They contracted to do the work, and they really should hold up their end of the deal," Roberts said.

"With the elevator out of commission you feel like a prisoner of Zenda. You can see the water. You have a good view, but you can't get from here to there," Coyle lamented.

Meanwhile O.J. kept working the elevator, "Oh, 22nd floor, okay I'll pick them up, bye," hoping for a fix soon.

Calls to Hawaiian Vertical Transportation were not returned.

The cost for the Canal House to overhaul the two elevators is $350,000.