Family Files Lawsuit Over Mold at Luxury Apartments

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Family Files Lawsuit Over Mold at Luxury Apartments

Mold beneath the carpets

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?

storyid=48878

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JACKSONVILLE FL

By Ross

First Coast News

JACKSONVILLE -- Saying mold at their apartment complex made them and

their kids sick, a ville couple has turned to lawyers.

" It just hurts.. you want your children to be as healthy as

possible, " says Sharon McNair, who claims her two young twin boys,

and Jordan, suffer from serious respiratory problems she

blames on mold.

Sharon and her husband Willie say the whole family began

experiencing upper respiratory problems shortly after moving into

the Portofino apartment complex on Gate Parkway in May of 2002. They

noticed black mold on the windowsill of the apartment, and claim the

management office told them to clean it with bleach and water.

Willie McNair heard other families at Portofino had lodged similar

complaints about mold in their units and at that point retained an

attorney.

" I'm very worried about my sons, " he said, " I just hate the fact

that we won't know what may be wrong with them until later on down

the road. "

The McNairs no longer live at Portofino, he said.

Vestcor Properties, which owns Portofino, settled out of court early

this year for an undisclosed sum with a number of tenants who

brought similar mold-related complaints the year before.

Attorney Mike Freed says the company should have disclosed potential

mold problems to new tenants like the McNairs.

" If you don't let people know about the risks, you're only making

your exposure and your liability worse, " Freed said.

Freed adds, tenants from two other Vestcor properties in the area

are also alleging mold-related health issues, and says the group may

join forces in a class-action lawsuit.

First Coast News was unable to reach Vestcor for comment on this

story. However, we did obtain a rental agreement the company gives

tenants to sign, which states it is not responsible for potential

health hazards at its properties, including mold.

Created: 12/14/2005 4:10:04 PM

Updated: 12/16/2005 9:53:49 PM

Edited by Ross, Reporter