Family Housing sued over mold contamination in Spencer View

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Family Housing sued over mold contamination in Spencer View

Oregon Daily Emerald

By: Jobetta Hedelman

http://www.dailyemerald.com/media/storage/paper859/news/2006/08/01/Ne

ws/Family.Housing.Sued.Over.Mold.Contamination.In.Spencer.View-

2142771.shtml?norewrite200608011823 & sourcedomain=www.dailyemerald.com

Issue date: 8/1/06 Section: News

Two former residents of Family Housing's Spencer View Apartment

complex are suing the University for failing to prevent toxic mold

from growing in the exterior wall of their apartment.

Masi Heamish, Fabian-Alvizo and their daughter, Trinidad

Fabian-Alvizo, developed chronic illnesses in spring 2005 after

water infiltrated the apartment's bedroom wall through a crack in

the exterior of the apartment, causing aspergillus/penicillium mold

spores to infiltrate the wall, according to court documents.

Mold spores were released into the apartment and testing later found

the amount of spores to be more than " 1200 times the outdoor control

concentration levels, " a condition which " rendered areas of the

apartment uninhabitable, " according to the documents.

The family moved out of the apartment and continued to suffer from

various chronic " injuries, " including rashes, body aches and various

respiratory problems.

Court documents allege that the University failed to " maintain the

premises in a habitable condition " by neglecting to keep the

exterior wall in " good order and repair, " control

moisture and keep the " living spaces free of unhealthy levels of

mold contamination. "

The family is asking for $175,000 in damages to cover the medical

and emotional damages they suffered and continue to suffer as a

result of the mold in their apartment. This amount also includes

economic damages from the cost of cleaning the apartment, moving

costs, " past and future medical expenses " and attorney fees for

Trinidad Fabian-Alvizo. Because Trinidad continues to suffer from

chronic illness, the lawsuit asks for the right to amend their

monetary compensation to " conform to the evidence, " according to the

documents.