Luxury L.I. Apartment Buildings Overcome With Mold

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Nov 27, 2007 1:55 pm US/Eastern

More Than 400 Tenants, Including Jets & Islanders Players Given 4

Months To Get Out

Video:Luxury L.I. Apartments

WESTBURY, N.Y. (CBS) & #8213; More than 400 renters are being forced to move

out of their brand-new luxury apartments in a Long Island complex

after massive a mold and mildew problem spread through the buildings,

even causing some to grow ill.

Some of the tenants in the 21-building Archstone Westbury community --

which is just one year old and considered a promising mixed-income

housing experiment -- include players on the New York Jets and New

York Islanders.

They'll have until March 31 which is when their lease will be terminated.

" Their last three days of rent will be abated and we are providing

relocation compensation package as well, " said Pendery, a

spokesman for Archstone-.

Trapped water, leaky windows, grotesque mold, have reportedly sickened

many residents and the Archstone Company, based in Colorado, wonders

if architecture and design are to blame.

" I've just lost my voice and I don't know why, and now I've linked it

to this situation, " said Archstone resident Lee.

Archstone- in a statement said the problem began after water

seeped through the exterior skin of the property, causing severe and

widespread damage to each and every building. Restoration and

reconstruction could take at least a year.

Residents have called the mold situation outrageous and disgusting and

said they've endured leaky windows and grotesque mold growing right in

their homes.

" The situation at Archstone Westbury constitutes 'catastrophic damage'

that requires us to vacate the community during construction for the

safety of our residents, " said Jack R. Callison, Jr., president, U.S.

operations, Archstone-, in a statement.

Rents range from $2,400 per month for a one-bedroom apartment to

$3,400 for a three-bedroom apartment. The affordable housing units

make up about 20 percent of the complex and rent for about a third of

the market value.

A spokesman for the development says residents would be given

" relocation assistance packages " amounting to a month's rent and

another sum of between $1,300 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,900

for a three-bedroom apartment.

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