California Job Journal: $10 Million Toxic Mold Suit Hits Pacific Gulf Properties on Eve of Sale to CalPERS

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Thursday September 21, 2000

Press Release

SOURCE: California Job Journal

California Job Journal: $10 Million Toxic Mold Suit Hits Pacific Gulf

Properties on Eve of Sale to CalPERS

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacific Gulf Properties, a

Newport Beach real estate investment trust was sued last week by California

Job Journal, a Sacramento newspaper publishing business. The lawsuit centers

on toxic mold contamination of office space at PGP-owned Sacramento Commerce

Park.

The lawsuit alleges that PGP engaged in ``unfair business practices'' by (1)

performing inadequate repairs to the Sacramento Commerce Park without

building permits and in violation of city building codes; (2) leasing

commercial office space that suffered from chronic roof and plumbing leaks

resulting in the growth of toxic mold; and (3) untrue and misleading

advertising to tenants. The Job Journal has brought this lawsuit on behalf

of itself, as well as all other tenants in California that were deceived by

PGP's fraudulent business practices and their leasing of commercial office

properties that were defective and suffered from chronic water leaks and

mold contamination.

California Job Journal's problems started in November of 1999, when PGP

refused to make timely repairs to a ruptured plumbing pipe, which resulted

in flooding of its offices leased from PGP at 1800 Tribute Road, Sacramento.

Shortly thereafter, 26 of the Job Journal's 30 employees experienced

mold-related health problems, including spontaneous nose bleeds, intestinal

distress, sinus and lung infections, migraine headaches, skin rashes and

chronic flu-like symptoms. The Job Journal was forced to evacuate its

offices and production facility on December 31, 1999, only to be moved into

another PGP property that turned out to have a history of chronic leaks and

was also contaminated with toxic mold.

Approximately two-dozen current and former Job Journal employees are in the

process of filing separate personal injury lawsuits against PGP as well.

California Job Journal and its injured employees are all represented by

on, IV, Esq. of Knopfler & on, LLP in Woodland

Hills, California. For more info, please contact on, IV at

818-227-0770 or Kathy Masera, President of California Job Journal, at

916-925-0800.

SOURCE: California Job Journal