Sulphur woman: I was evicted for speaking out

[Guest guest]

Sulphur woman: I was evicted for speaking out

Posted: Feb 28, 2010 10:06 PM EST

Updated: Feb 28, 2010 10:13 PM EST

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Sulphur woman: I was evicted for speaking out

Posted: Feb 28, 2010 10:06 PM EST

Updated: Feb 28, 2010 10:13 PM EST

http://www.kplctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12060371

by s bio | email

SULPHUR, LA (KPLC-TV) - A Sulphur resident believes she was evicted for speaking

out about the living conditions at a local apartment complex.

In November, Amber Meche and Benglis went before the Sulphur City Council

to talk about the living conditions at Town and Country Apartments.

Benglis had been approved for Section 8 at the apartments, but she refused to

move in because she was unsatisfied with the living conditions of the two

apartment units she was to choose from.

" There was a lot of stuff wrong with it and when we walked into the apartments,

you [could] smell the mold, " said Benglis.

Benglis asked Meche, a friend, who was then a tenant at the apartment complex,

to speak to the city council about the living conditions at the facility. Meche

went before the council and said she was concerned about mold and other problems

in her apartment.

Just days after speaking to the council, Meche said she received an eviction

notice. Meche said she had been a good tenant for as long as she had lived there

and could think of no other reason why she was evicted, except for the fact that

she spoke out about living conditions at the apartments.

" That's what she (manager) does, " said Meche. " If you speak up against her, she

throws you out. "

According to a report published in the Sulphur Daily News, the manager of the

apartments said she was " shocked " after hearing about Meche's comments to the

city council. The manager told the newspaper Meche had started " scaring " other

tenants. The manager said she had never had any complaints about Meche before

this.

Meche and Benglis next appeared before the Sulphur Housing Authority, arguing

that Meche's eviction was unfair. The Housing Authority tabled the matter until

last week, when it announced unbeknownst to both Meche and Benglis that their

problems had been resolved.

Meche and Benglis said they did not get an opportunity to present the latest

evidence they had gathered to the Housing Authority board, which includes

results of a lab test performed by Booth Environmental Services, LLC. According

to the report, the samples, which were to have been taken from Meche's

apartment, were found to have four types of highly elevated molds, Chaetomium,

Trichoderma, Aspergillus/Pencillium, and Stachybotrys (black mold).

Those lab results are in direct conflict with inspection reports from the City

of Sulphur.

According to the chairman of the Sulphur Housing Authority, lin Foote, city

inspections are the only thing the board can go by when making decisions like

this. Foote said city inspections show there are no major problems with the

apartments in questions.

Meche also said she and her daughter had been diagnosed with illnesses because

of the unhealthy condition of her old apartment.

Foote said the board will probably convene a special meeting this week so they

can explain their decision to Meche and Benglis, since the pair was not allowed

to speak last time.

Meche said despite what the Housing Authority decides, she plans on fighting the

treatment she received.

Because she was evicted, Meche is no longer on Section 8. Meche plans on

reapplying soon, even though she'll likely to be put at the end of the line.

Benglis no longer has Section 8 status either.

" Everyone that lives there has young children and they're pretty much put in the

same situation as me, " said Meche. " They either have to deal with it and live in

pretty much slum, because if they speak up about it, or complain about it, they

get evicted.

I just hope something's done about it. "

[Guest guest]

I thought this was America and we had freedom of speech?!! I haven't liked

what I've been seeing for sometime. I know what I went through with my mold

experience and I certainly made me wake up. As I look around at our

buildings, schools, apartments, cities, etc. it is beginning to look like a

third

world country in many areas!! Very frightening to me especially when I

think of what the future years will be like.

Sue