Renters lobby for laws on mold

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Renters lobby for laws on mold

The Olympian - Olympia,WA*

Adam

The Olympian

http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/176173.html

During the past few unexpectedly rainy weeks, Kennedy's 12-

year-old daughter started feeling ill.

" The pain starts right here, " said, gesturing to her upper

chest, " and it moves down to the left side and it grows down to the

other side. "

A next-door neighbor, 8-year-old Thom, also felt bad. He said

he couldn't bicycle around the doublewide trailer in which he lived

without feeling tired.

" He had a 102 fever for two days. He was not eating; every time he

ate, he started hurting, " said his mother, Holly Thom.

The problems were a mystery for the mothers until Kennedy smelled

something. She pulled 's bed away from the wall and found mold

growing on the wall.

Thom inspected her trailer and also found mold, which both women

blamed on leaky roofs in their rented homes.

Mold is a complex issue, both in its effects on people and in the

government's ability to clamp down on affected buildings.

When Kennedy tried to call and complain about the state of the

rented trailers, she said she was " bounced around all over the

place, " until the Thurston County Department of Health said mold

wasn't something that health codes cover.

" Our program is just set up to learn about the hazards of mold, and

we provide information on that. We don't have a code that

specifically addresses the mold, " said Darrell Cochran, senior

environmental health specialist with the county.

Although the county does not have specific health codes for mold,

cities can take action against landlords who have moldy rental

properties. But cities, as well as the county, focus more on

educating people about the hazards of mold.

Cochran didn't deal specifically with Kennedy and Thom, but he said

the county does get calls from residents asking about mold,

especially in the wet winter.

's doctor decided his aliment was linked to mold exposure,

according to a note kept by his mother, but Kennedy said 's

doctor is still working on a definite diagnosis. Both children have

been prescribed the same medication.

Kennedy has moved out of the rented trailer.

City of Lacey building official Neff inspects homes to see if

they violate city ordinances to provide clean, safe and habitable

dwellings. Mold can be one of the issues he looks at.

" It's always a judgment call, I have to admit, " said Neff. " Mold is

always everywhere. It's on people, it's in the air … it's not a

problem until it hits moisture so it can grow. "

The city has closed some rental properties for failing to fix leaky

roofs, he said.

Mold figured in the closing of the Forest Glen Apartments in Olympia

four years ago, as well. Olympia's health enforcement officer was

out of the office last week, and specifics of the city's mold

policies were not available.

Kennedy and Thom are convinced the mold in their former homes was

the result of shoddy roofs. And they said they were surprised at the

lack of interest the government showed in addressing the problem.

" I was hoping they would do something. They should, " said Thom.

The women said they are talking to their legislators about possible

new laws to crack down on moldy rentals.

A law passed in 2005 requires landlords to tell their tenants about

the dangers of mold, but it doesn't give the state the authority to

enforce the requirement, said White, a health adviser with the

state Department of Health.

At the moment, the state mainly tries to tell people about the

threat mold can present, she said.

" We do provide lots of information and answer lots of questions

about mold from the public every day. "

Adam covers state workers and politics for The Olympian. He

can be reached at 360-753-1688 or awilson@....