Mold task force hears about hidden hazard Woman driven out of Brunswick home tel

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Mold task force hears about hidden hazard

Woman driven out of Brunswick home tells of health, financial woes

Albany Times Union - Albany,NY*

By BRIAN NEARING, Staff writer

First published: Wednesday, December 5, 2007

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?

storyID=644520 & category=REGION & newsdate=12/5/2007

ALBANY -- e Choma has ideas about how the state can protect

people from toxic mold. After all, mold drove her from her home,

ruined her health, claimed nearly all her possessions and forced her

into bankruptcy.

" They need to make sure that sellers are held accountable when they

are misleading about a mold problem, " said the 40-year-old, who is

only now emerging from a three-year nightmare that started in her

newly purchased house in Brunswick.

On Tuesday, the state Toxic Mold Task Force held its first meeting

to come up with recommendations for rules on mold.

" Mold is something that we all have to become more aware of, " said

task force chairwoman Kim, interim director of the state

Health Department's Center for Environmental Health. " I think the

mold outbreaks that happened after the flooding of Hurricane Katrina

heightened everyone's interest. "

The 14-member task force heard from Cheryl Borden, a 40-year

gymnastics teacher who drove up from Long Island.

Borden developed a chemical sensitivity called hypersensitivity

pneumonitis, also known as " farmer's lung, " after living in a mold-

contaminated apartment in late 2000. The condition hit her so hard

that she had to have her lungs surgically scraped, she said.

While Borden is still able to work, she cannot go into many newer

buildings because of sensitivity to chemicals in materials.

" I've had to give up two jobs because of it, " she said. " It has

totally changed my life. "

Borden said the state should give renters the right to have their

apartments tested. After she got sick, her landlord kept her out of

her apartment for eight months, and only let her in to have tests

done after she sued.

Chomas had to abandon her $106,000 home at 6 Magill Ave. in

Brunswick in 2004 after being sickened by mold she says was not

revealed by the sellers. After a few months, her skin broke into a

rash, her memory went spotty, her hair started falling out and

breathing was difficult.

She also had to pay more than $10,000 in federal and state taxes

after failing to convince tax collectors that she had suffered a

legitimate loss when she walked away from her mortgage.

Choma's former home sold for $36,000 -- about a third of its

original value -- in 2006, said Ron Neissen, Brunswick building and

fire code inspector. The new owner had the two-story home " gutted

right down to the studs, " he said, and started rebuilding from the

roof on down.

But work stopped several months ago. " They spent weeks in there,

four or five guys on the demolition, and then five carpenters, and

there is a long way to go, " Neissen said.

If the real estate broker and agent sold Choma the home without

revealing the mold problem, they could be charged with breaking

state law. The state Department of State said the case has been

assigned to an administrative law judge.

Choma reached an out-of-court settlement at a substantial loss. " I

needed to repay the IRS, which was breathing down my neck. I had

enough left over for a pack of gum. "

Nearing can be reached at 454-5094 or by e-mail at

bnearing@....