An elevator that was out of service for more than three months in the Kalakaua Homes public housing project is operating again, delighting residents in the 221-unit building.

Last month, The Advertiser located a replacement part for the elevator that the state and its elevator repair contractor said was obsolete and unavailable.

Michael Tomihara, head of the repair company, Hawaii Vertical Transportation Inc., confirmed Friday that the replacement part was ordered and installed in the broken elevator as a result of The Advertiser's report, but he noted there "was additional damage" to the elevator that was also repaired.

He declined to discuss the matter further, saying he might have additional comments later this month, after his company's repair contract with the state expires.

Attempts to obtain comment from officials of the Hawai'i Public Housing Authority Friday were unsuccessful.

Officials of the private management company at Kalakaua Homes were unavailable for comment Friday.

As of last week, more than a quarter of all elevators in high-rise public housing projects — nine of 35 — had been out of service for extended periods of time, virtually stranding elderly and disabled tenants who are unable to use the stairs or to endure waits of as long as 30 minutes for the single working elevator in their building.

The lack of elevator service also creates serious health and safety issues for residents of the structures.

Broken elevators have become a chronic problem in public housing facilities. The state cancelled an elevator repair and maintenance contract in 2005 after a consultant found that "maintenance work is not is not satisfactory and that significant systems related to passenger safety have been ignored or 'pieced together.'"

Hawaii Vertical Transportation began working on elevators for the state in 2005 on an emergency basis and later under two non-bid contracts.

One of those contracts expired yesterday. The other, to repair and maintain six elevators at Kuhio Park Terrace, the largest public housing project in the state, expires in October.

As of last week, four of six elevators at Kuhio Park Terrace were broken..

Reach Jim Dooley at jdooley@honoluluadvertiser.com.