Video - Bakersfield apartment resident complains mold problem not fixed, Part 1

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Bakersfield apartment resident complains mold problem not fixed,

Part 1 Video High

EyeOutForYou.com - Bakersfield,CA*

http://www.eyeoutforyou.com/news/local/8586597.html

A Bakersfield man says mold in his apartment is making him sick, and

the apartment owner is not fixing the problem. As Eyewitness News

investigated the complaints at the Casa complex on

Wednesday-- a city official came out to investigate and more

residents spoke up about problems.

Resident Jan moved into his apartment at 408 Street in

February, he believes there's been mold in his apartment since then.

thinks the mold has made him so sick, he ended up in the

hospital.

" I came back here on Friday, and I had to call an ambulance because

they were digging up the linoleum to put this new stuff down, and I

couldn't breathe. "

thinks the mold is behind walls, and evidence of it has been

covered up. The tenant says he's asked the complex owner to fix the

mold, but he won't.

On Wednesday, Eyewitness News tried several times to reach the

apartment owner, but he did not return our calls.

Complex residents say there was a fire in units above '

apartment, and they think water from that seeped down -- leading to

mold. Bakersfield Code Enforcement told Eyewitness News a permit for

repairs to unit #20 was taken out after the fire. But, they've

received no further contact about that since last October.

had contacted Bakersfield Code Enforcement, and inspector

Ignacio Morales came out Wednesday to check on the situation. He

looked at ' apartment, and agreed water from the fire could be

an issue.

" Near the wall closest to the fire there were signs of mold, "

Morales told Eyewitness News. " But, the city is code enforcement --

we're not experts. "

Morales says city inspectors look for the source of moisture that

might lead to mold, and try to get that fixed. They don't assess the

health hazards or the amount of mold.

hired a special company to analyze his apartment, and he

showed Eyewitness News the company's photos and report. In several

locations, the company said they found " suspect fungal growth and/or

moisture damage. "

says other residents complain their units have mold, and he

says the apartment owner has refused to fix the problems.

While Eyewitness News was at the complex, we spotted other problems.

Above ' apartment, a cement stairway was sagging on one side --

with supporting bolts that were visibly coming loose.

" We did see that stairway and that is a bad problem and I have to

send a letter addressing that to the property owner, " inspector

Morales said.

As for mold, The State Department of Health services says everyone

is exposed to some mold every day without any harm. But, mold can

cause health problems when it's present in large amounts and people

breathe in the mold spores.

The Kern County Environmental Health Department advises residents

that private companies can check for mold. They recommend looking

for these companies in the phone book under " industrial hygiene

consultants. "

The best way to prevent mold is to get rid of sources of moisture,

like any leaking pipes in a home or apartment.

Eyewitness News heard from a number of other Casa residents

with reports of problems in their apartments, which they say

the complex owner has not fixed.

The city inspector heard from other residents, too. " I'll have to

hand my card to these tenants, and if they definitely have a

complaint they need to call us, and we're going to have to come over

here and probably sweep the apartments, " said Morales.

He says a " sweep " is an inspection of an entire apartment complex.

In the meantime, Morales says Code Enforcement can write " correction

letters " to the apartment owner ordering that the problems are

fixed.

Story Created: Jul 18, 2007 at 8:44 PM CDT

Story Updated: Jul 19, 2007 at 8:48 PM CDT