You've got mold

[Guest guest]

You've got mold

Tenants and landlords agree mold infestation is a problem; but who

takes responsibility?

by Fox | News Reporter |

PUBLISHED ON 11/21/08 IN News

Oregon Daily Emerald Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:35 AM PST

http://media.www.dailyemerald.com/media/storage/paper859/news/2008/11

/21/News/Youve.Got.Mold-3557344.shtml

Invasive, non-photosynthetic and spore producing: all are

characteristics of an ancient species commonly known as mold. For

renters, it's a nightmare, and for landlords, it's a problem they

may or may not have to take responsibility for.

The Rental Housing Department Advisory Committee met Thursday

morning to discuss whether or not adding provisions about mold to

current City Rental Housing Code would be a viable action. Retired

University professor Carroll presented the risks and sampling

techniques involved with mold. Officials discussed housing codes of

other cities, including Washington, D.C. and Gresham, Ore., as

possible examples of codes they may adapt for Eugene.

Students like Tony Mecum, who has lived in mold-inhabited housing,

often feel powerless in that situation.

" When I had an issue, I contacted the landlord, " he said. " He sent

someone over who said there was no problem in my bedroom. The guy

then got a bleach bottle to clean the visual mold off the wall.

Unfortunately, the stench remained and continued to remain on my

stuff, even after I moved out. "

A former mycologist, Carroll has seen a lot of mold and assures

renters that most mold is not dangerous to students, but it can

still affect people with respiratory diseases.

" Pathogenic molds are not often recorded inside homes with mold

issues, " Carroll said. " Instances where mold affects people's health

usually occur because the immune system of the residents is in some

other ways compromised. "

Carroll noted that the landlord is more often at fault than the

tenant.

" Tenant behaviors, including not using a bathroom fan when

showering, do not contribute to the growth of serious molds, " he

said. " Most dangerous molds don't occur in situations of

intermittent wetting and drying. A truly serious mold problem will

be in some way connected to a constant water leakage somewhere. "

Private landlord Dennis Casady, who owns several properties,

disagreed with Carroll's assessment and said he has had past tenants

who have dealt with mold and been responsible for its presence.

" I once had a tenant who complained about mold, " Casady said. " When

I went to look, he had his bed and dresser pressed up against the

wall. He had a small mold problem, but it was because there was no

air circulation. When we cleaned the mold off and had him move his

bed away from the wall, it didn't come back. "

A representative from von Klein Property Management, a prominent

firm with many properties in the University area, declined to

comment on whether or not re-evaluating the housing code would be

worthwhile.

Laurie Doan, the Duck's Village housing coordinator, is looking

forward to the possibility of the City of Eugene pressuring

landlords and tenants to take care of mold issues when they arise.

" I think revising the housing code is a good idea, " Doan said. " It

will make tenants more responsible to deal with their issues. The

sooner you deal with issues like mold, the better. "

The committee debated what ideas from other housing codes would be

most useful and appealing to Eugene. The board agreed that any mold

guidelines should only pertain to visible mold. In addition, the

committee said tenant misuse, not structural inequality, is usually

the cause of bathroom mold. The idea of mandatory inspections arose,

but they would be an expensive addition to an already dwindling city

budget.

The process of revamping the housing code will be not be finished

until January at the earliest, when the committee will present its

ideas to the Eugene City Council as a formal suggestion. In the mean

time, the Rental Housing Department Advisory Committee will hold an

informative meeting at the EMU on Nov. 25 in an effort to attract

more student renters to their landlord-dominated meetings.

" People don't realize how significant of an issue this is. I know

there is a mold inspection firm in Eugene, and as I understand, it's

very busy, " Carroll said.

lfox@...