Re: Olen Properties in Las Vegas Intentionally Downplay Mold Severity

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[] Olen Properties in Las Vegas Intentionally Downplay

Mold Severity

Olen Properties in Las Vegas Intentionally Downplay Mold Severity

http://www.expertclick.com/NewsReleaseWire/default.cfm?

Action=ReleaseDetail & ID=15965

NewsReleaseWire.com (press release) - USA

How desperate can a large Real Estate Development company be to hide

the severity of mold in an apartment? Apparently, very desperate.

Durango Canyon North Apartments, in southwest Las Vegas, which are

part of Olen Properties from Newport Beach, California is

downplaying the high prevalence of toxic mold in a tenant's

apartment. Not just by refusing to disclose their mold readings,

but, even denying the mold to existing residents.

After over a year and a half of consistently being notified by their

tenant that there was a " wet paint odor " upon entering the

apartment, rather than having this issue checked out by

professionals, they relied upon their own maintenance staff to make

the assessment. Since when should a biased employee's nose be the

ultimate determination if there is a mold situation in an apartment,

which should have been immediately followed up and evaluated by a

licensed professional?

After being told that the apartment's odor was not detectable by

their employee, the tenant at their own expense retained the

services of a mold testing professional. The independent nationally

accredited laboratory who did the analysis now confirmed the

tenant's concern, high levels of various molds thru out the

apartment.

There were two prior water situations in the apartment beneath the

current tenant's apartment which was handled by Olen's maintenance

crew. The water damage was severe enough for a portion of the carpet

to be replaced. When the prior tenants moved out, they discovered to

their horror there was water damage on the walls in other rooms of

the apartment. The physical appearance of the water damage was

located almost 10 feet from the actual water damage in the

downstairs unit. The wet paint odor referenced by the upstairs

tenant was located in the area on the opposite side of the wall

where the discoloration was discovered by the former tenant of the

downstairs unit.

The tenant's laboratory analysis showed extremely high and toxic

levels of stachybotrys (a count of over 200,000 ) and other molds

were found according to the tenants report. The Olen Properties

corporate offices had their own mold tester come out and do another

assessment of the tenants unit. According to their mold tester the

apartment needed to have remediation done and the Olen Properties

are intentionally hiding the mold report by their tester. The

adamant refusal to disclose the second finding leads one to conclude

that the second test showed even higher more toxic levels that are

now necessitating remediation. Their tester did state that his

levels were about the same as the tenant's results.

The independent review of the tenant's testing results by a highly

respected toxicologist, who is consistently called upon for high

profile mold litigation cases stated " haz-mat equipment needed to be

used while in the apartment.if stachy was found HEPA vacuuming would

not work " .

Olen Properties resolution to this toxic apartment was to use a

generic band-aid approach by HEPA vacuuming only the futon of the

tenant. Compounding their negligence by ignoring the balance of the

tenant's possessions which are inundated with the mold spores,

mycotoxins etc. Which would most likely result in the tenant

acquiring a mold related illness without proper remediation or

replacement of their possessions.

Olen Properties aside from refusing to provide the laboratory

results, required that the tenant actually pay rent on this toxic

apartment and are currently refusing to reimburse the tenant for the

expense incurred to have the apartment properly tested.

From the Centers for Disease Control:

What is Stachybotrys chartarum (Stachybotrys atra)?

" Stachybotrys chartarum (also known by its synonym Stachybotrys

atra) is a greenish-black mold. It can grow on material with a high

cellulose and low nitrogen content, such as fiberboard, gypsum

board, paper, dust, and lint. Growth occurs when there is moisture

from water damage, excessive humidity, water leaks, condensation,

water infiltration, or flooding. Constant moisture is required for

its growth. It is not necessary, however, to determine what type of

mold you may have. All molds should be treated the same with respect

to potential health risks and removal. "

How do you know if you have a mold problem?

" Large mold infestations can usually be seen or smelled. "

Any notification by a resident to the manager regarding unusual

odors in an apartment should be addressed immediately by licensed

professionals. Most maintenance employees are usually guided by the

unspoken rule, try to resolve the problem with the least amount of

financial outlay to the company.

With such tight budgets at the expense of the residents health,

corporations such as Olen Properties need to be held accountable for

their intentional negligence upon the resident. Along with absorbing

all costs required to correct the situation to pre-mold condition.

To the future residents of any Olen residential Property be it in

Las Vegas, Arizona or Florida or the commercial and industrial

occupants in California or Chicago, request that they provide

documentation that there was no mold or water damage to the

property. Your health and possessions are in jeopardy if you fail to

force them to disclose any prior mold and or water damage. If they

should disclose that there was a problem request both pre and post

remediation testing levels.

http://www.olenproperties.com/companyinfo.cfm

Angel DeFazio, B.S.A.T. (Angel@...)

President

National Toxic Encephalopathy Foundation (NTEF)

POB 29194

Las Vegas, NV 89126

Phone : 702.598.3382

Fax : 702.247.4606

Contact Angel De Fazio, B.S.A.T.