Mold-Infested Home Will Get $150,000 Makeover

June 19, 2008

News 8 - San Diego,CA*

06-19-08

A military family living with mold just got the reinforcements it

needed. In Encanto, a low-income family of six has scored a high-

dollar home makeover.

The Encanto home may have a multi-million dollar view, but on the

inside, it's infested with mold. Eleven-year-old na and her

seven-year-old sister have health concerns.

" I can really get sick because I have asthma, " na said.

Along with five-year-old Diego and two-year-old Cipriana, their

mother Bethea has her hands full. The father of the family,

, is in the Army and he's away, awaiting deployment to Iraq.

Inspectors don't know where to start. There's a rickety staircase

that fell through that left her on crutches for weeks. Over

their heads, a leaky roof continues to flake away.

The inspectors finally determine the basement is the biggest

problem. The mold that's been coming up through the floor and

invading the bathrooms originates below the house, and it's enough

to bring to tears.

" I don't know, I just can't do it by myself… take care of the yard

and the house and the children, " she said.

" We know [mold] can be a trigger for asthma, so the key is to come

in and remove mold as soon as possible, " Alan Johanns of San Diego

Environmental Services said.

The City of San Diego, the Gilbane Building Company and Rebuilding

Together San Diego will team up to make it all better.

" Oh my God, I don't know what to say. I'm just excited, "

said.

Part of the job will include getting rid of a lot of clutter. The

work starts in August, when 80 volunteers over two weekends will

roll up their sleeves and get to work.

All of the work will be completed free of charge for the Bethea

family.

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