Video - Folsom Condo Owners Upset With City, Developer Over Toxic Mold

[Guest guest]

Folsom Condo Owners Upset With City, Developer Over Toxic Mold

Residents Of Waterford Place Say Local Government Has Been Slow To

Respond

POSTED: 6:00 am PDT August 24, 2006

UPDATED: 7:04 am PDT August 24, 2006

KCRA.com - Sacramento,CA

http://www.kcra.com/news/9729361/detail.html

FOLSOM, Calif. -- Dozens of people in Folsom said they were duped

into buying condominiums filled with toxic mold.

Now residents are taking their fight to the city, and some are

alleging local government officials have been slow to respond.

Condominium owner Mike Sullivan is moving out of the unit he bought

for more than $200,000 at the Waterford Place complex in Folsom. He

said the condo is filled with mold.

" Now I'm stuck with a $215,000 mold incubator, " Sullivan told the

Folsom City Council.

More than a dozen people who bought condos in the complex took turns

Wednesday night voicing their concerns to the council.

The owners are blaming the developer for the problem, but they also

said the city is responsible as well.

" None of this was disclosed to us when we went to buy this that

there was any signs of any mold, " said , who purchased a

condo.

The city attorney said the problem is a civil matter between condo

owners and Promethius Real Estate, developer of the project.

But the city approved the conversion of existing apartments into

condominiums for sale.

A KCRA 3 investigation has uncovered that the city and the developer

were well aware of the potential dangers from mold long before the

condos were sold.

A report obtained by KCRA 3 and required to be on file with the city

points out suspected mold in nearly 200 apartments. The report was

prepared and filed with the city long before the conversion deal was

approved.

" The preliminary report just didn't do any testing, " said Amy

Fagans, Folsom's director of neighborhood services. " It did identify

that there was mold or mildew-like substances found in some of the

units. "

Almost every unit that was sold is mentioned in the report.

KCRA 3 asked the city about the report in early July. Amy Fagans,

the director of neighborhood services, said she was concerned.

" We're going to be looking into that, " Fagans said.

But residents said they have yet to hear anything from the city.

They said the city is avoiding condo owners, and officials were also

unwilling to talk to KCRA 3.

When asked why the city has not contacted owners, Fagans refused to

comment.

" I don't want to answer that right now, OK?, " Fagans said.

The condo owners have hired an attorney and plan on filing a

lawsuit. In the meantime, many residents have moved out of their

condos.

Residents said all they want is for the city to hold the developer

accountable for the problem. Failure to disclose mold problems is a

violation of city and state regulations.

Meanwhile, Promethius Real Estate has announced it wants to conduct

tests of its own and will also pay for any necessary repairs.

[Guest guest]

I wonder if it rained while these buildings were being built and the

lumber was not allowed to dry out before it was all sealed up..

When I see new construction in rainy weather with no tarps or anything

over it - and they just let water rain in - my first thought is that

they are condemming the homeowners to a bad situation..

That seems like it is just asking for trouble..

The builders don't seem to care..

[Guest guest]

i see that all the time in new construction in dallas. it rains on the frame

and then they start with the plywood the next day.

LiveSimply <quackadillian@...> wrote: I wonder if it rained while

these buildings were being built and the

lumber was not allowed to dry out before it was all sealed up..

When I see new construction in rainy weather with no tarps or anything

over it - and they just let water rain in - my first thought is that

they are condemming the homeowners to a bad situation..

That seems like it is just asking for trouble..

The builders don't seem to care..

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