Authority To Check Complex For Mold

By JOHN W. ALLMAN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 25, 2007

TAMPA - The Tampa Housing Authority will inspect all 300 units at River Pines Apartments for mold and mildew after a tearful, angry appearance Tuesday from a former resident.

The decision by the authority's board comes nearly two months after problems were identified in almost half of the apartments. The inspection report is due by September, board Chairwoman Hazel Harvey said.

The visual inspections will be conducted by two housing officials, said Lillian Stringer, the authority's director of public relations. In apartments where mold or mildew is visible, the authority may conduct air-quality tests to determine the extent of the mold.

Dozens of residents, all 55 and older, have complained to The Tampa Tribune for months about issues at River Pines, ranging from living conditions to treatment by apartment staff, which residents say made them afraid to voice concerns.

Loretta White was one of those residents until April, when she moved out because she has a severe allergy to mold that she said was affecting her health.

White shook at times as she told her story to the board. She struggled not to cry. She handed out pictures of the mold to the board and told them about her neighbors, particularly a blind resident who lived nearby. 'His mildew and mold was so bad - it was black,' she said.

White said she documented similar problems with other residents, but 'they were afraid to speak up,' she said.

'A lot of people are being sick and don't know why,' she said. 'It will make you sick. It will give you breathing problems.'

River Pines is owned by the housing authority but managed by the private firm Rath Harper & Associates, which oversees daily operations. The company receives 4 percent of the rents collected.

Since March, Fred Rath, the company's president and a former Tampa housing commissioner, and members of his staff have said mold is not a serious problem at the property off 40th Street in northeast Tampa.

Section 8 Inspection

Current and former residents said otherwise, citing widespread problems. Federal Section 8 inspection reports reviewed by the Tribune found mold and mildew cited in River Pines units as long ago as 2005.

Because of its location along the Hillsborough River and its concrete-block composition, the property is susceptible to mold and mildew.

'We are very glad that the board wants all 300 units checked,' Rath said late Tuesday in a prepared statement. 'We, too, want to put these matters to rest and move forward with our new maintenance procedures.'

River Pines tenants must sign an addendum to their leases stating they will be responsible for keeping their apartments clean and free of moisture, which causes mold.

The addendum also says tenants must make repeated efforts to remove mold before calling the management office.

Residents say the work required to combat mold goes beyond what the addendum states. For seniors, some of whom are disabled, it can mean trying to clean ceilings and walls that are out of reach. The average age of tenants is 73.

White said she was never shown the addendum before signing a lease. She said she complained from Day One of her residency to the time she moved out: 'Y'all sit on a board,' she said. 'I lived it.'

She said no amount of cleaning would keep the mold at bay. When she ran the air conditioning unit, as instructed by property managers, mold spores came out.

'I had to take clothes out of dresser drawers and put them in containers. I bought all kinds of cleaners to try to keep the mildew down,' White said, trying to maintain her composure. 'If I had known there was a mildew problem, I never would have moved in.'

Members Want All Units Checked

Board members Sophia Sorolis and Karen Peoples called for all apartments to be inspected, with emphasis on White's former building.

Housing President Jerome Ryans said the decision was a good one, 'just to be on the safe side.'

The decision is a reversal from two months ago, when former housing Commissioner Gerald White asked for an independent inspection of River Pines. His request, which wasn't in the form of a motion, was ignored by Ryans and the board.

White's board appointment ended in June. His replacement, lawyer Lansing Scriven, who was appointed by Mayor Pam Iorio, attended his first meeting Tuesday.

During May's board meeting, Rath talked about a recent inspection of all 300 units by his staff. Issues were identified in 144 units, including mold and mildew found in 40 apartments.

Rath, who gave the housing board an update Tuesday, said the majority of those issues have been resolved. He said the property was considering using a new chemical that helps detect mold. Whether it might help, he said, he did not know.

'A lot of our problem is through how they live,' Rath said of River Pines residents.

Reporter John W. Allman can be reached at (813) 259-7915 or jallman@tampatrib.com.

User Responses
From: drivingmissdaisy	Date: 12/16/2008
I am a past resident of the River Pines and when they are aware of any inspection, the management get the apartments cleaned in order to make the report as being all lies. Best to inspect apartment without notification. Whatver happened to the last inspection?Anonymous

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