WATER LEAKS AND HEALTH ISSUES

THIS EVENT TOOK PLACE RECENTLY AT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX IN BEL AIR, MARYLAND CALLED "THE SEASONS AT BEL AIR".  IT HAPPENED LIKE MOST WATER INCIDENTS AT AN HOUR WHEN NO ONE FROM THE STAFF IS AVAILABLE FOR REPAIRS.  THEN YOU REALIZE THAT THERE IS AN EMERGENCY LINE FOR SUCH EVENTS,  SO YOU CALL AND REPORT THAT YOU HAVE WATER FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER ROOM COMING INTO YOUR APARTMENT AND UNTO YOUR PATIO.  YOU ALSO STATE THAT THE WALL IN THE LIVING ROOM IS NOW SEVERELY WET AND RUST IN COLOR; THE AIR VENT IS SO FULL OF WATER THAT IT IS FLOWING INTO THE LIVING ROOM; THAT THE RUG IN THE LIVING ROOM IS SERIOUSLY WET, AND SO FORTH.  THE ANSWERING SERVICE INDICATES THAT THEY WILL CONTACT THE MAINTENANCE PERSONAL ON CALL.  WELL, THEY DO EVENTUALLY CALL, BUT NOT TO COME OR TO SEND SOMEONE TO EXTRACT THE WATER, CHECK THE PADDING UNDERNEATH, DISINFECT THE RUG, AND INSURE THAT IT IS DRY.  INSTEAD, THEY BLUNTLY TELL YOU THAT "YOU ARE NOT ON A MEDICAL LIST AND THAT IT IS YOUR PROBLEM".  SOUNDS DISGUSTING?  WELL, IT DOES GET MORE INTERESTING.

THEY SHOW UP AROUND 8:00AM START THE REPAIRS AND THEN DISAPPEAR FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES.  TO ENSURE THEIR RETURN YOU CONTACT THE RENTAL OFFICE AND RE-EXPLAIN THE SITUATION.  THEY RETURN AND  CLAIM THAT THE PIPES ARE CLOGGED AND COMMENCE TO USE AN ELECTRIC SNAKE TO DE-CLOGGED IT, CLOSE THE DOOR TO THE AIR CONDITIONING ROOM AND LEAVE.  WHAT HAPPENED TO CHECKING THE LIVING ROOM WALL, THE PADDING UNDERNEATH THE RUG, THE INSULATION IN THE WALL, REMOVING THE WATER IN THE AIR VENT, STOP THE WATER COMING INTO THE APARTMENT FROM THE OTHER LEAK SOURCES, AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IS RELATED TO THE PROBLEM AT HAND.  GUESS NOT!

HENCE, YOU CALL THE MANAGEMENT OFFICE AGAIN, THEN THE NEXT DAY, THE DAY AFTER, THE DAY AFTER THAT, AND AGAIN.  IN THE MEANTIME, AS YOU HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL ASTHMA, ALLERGIES, A HEART CONDITION, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, FIBROMYALGIA,  ARTHRITIS, AND A HOST OF OTHER MEDICAL DELIGHTS, YOU ARE LEFT WITH NO CHOICE BUT TO SPEND NUMEROUS DAYS VOMITING, COUGHING, WITH A IRRITATED THROAT, SWOLLEN EYES, SNEEZING, BLEEDING NOSE, AND USING MEDICATIONS THAT WILL NOT WORK BECAUSE YOUR HOME NOW SMELLS LIKE A SEWER MIXED WITH MOLD AND MILDEW.  LET US NOT FORGET THE FACT THAT THE WATER IS STILL COMING THROUGH; OR THE FACT THAT YOU SPEND YOUR NIGHTS EXTRACTING WATER FROM THE RUG AND CLEANING IT, WHICH AFFECTS TO A GREAT, GREAT DEGREE AN ALREADY MOBILITY CHALLENGED BODY.  APPARENTLY, ACCORDING TO THEM, THE DISABLED IS OF NO CONSEQUENCE.

IT IS NOW NINE DAYS LATER AND THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS; THE SEWER SMELL IS OUTRAGEOUS; THE WALLS AND INSULATION REQUIRES REPLACEMENT; AND CHEMISTRY REQUIRED TO STOP THE MOLD AND MILDEW AND THE ODER HAS NEVER BEEN APPLIED; THE RUG PADDING NEEDS TO BE INSPECTED FOR DAMAGE, ETC.  FURTHERMORE, THE HEALTH ISSUE (ASTHMA, ALLERGIES, HEART) IS BEING AFFECTED MORE AND MORE WITH EVERY PASSING DAY, BECAUSE ONE IS NOT ON "THEIR MEDICAL LIST."  WHAT MEDICAL LIST -- SOUNDS LIKE THIS "MEDICAL LIST" IS A BIG SECRET?  ONLY PROPERTY MANAGEMENT KNOWS ABOUT IT.


ABSOLUTELY NO ONE, DISABLED, MULTI-DISABLED, OR NON-DISABLED, SHOULD BE TREATED IN SUCH A MANNER WHEN IT COMES TO REPAIRS OF YOUR HOME.  REPAIR EMERGENCIES ARE REPAIR EMERGENCIES NO MATTER WHAT.  HOWEVER, TELL THEM THAT THE RENT IS NOT FORTHCOMING AND WATCH HOW THEY EMERGENCY YOU OUT OF YOUR HOME WITHOUT IT BEING NECESSARY TO BE ON THIS HIDDEN "MEDICAL LIST."  MIND YOU, YOU ONLY LEARN OF THIS LIST WHEN YOU CALL FOR AN EMERGENCY SITUATION OR ANY OTHER REPAIR.  THEY NEVER EXPLAIN TO YOU ABOUT THIS LIST, OR HOW TO GET ON THE LIST, AND THIS SO-CALLED "MEDICAL LIST" IS NOW AN EXCUSE FOR LACK OF SERVICES AND REPAIRS, IT NEVER EXISTED BEFORE.

WE KNOW OF ANOTHER TENANT AT THIS SAME COMPLEX THAT WAS LEFT WITH NO AIR-CONDITIONING AT ALL FOR TWO MONTHS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT ON THE HIDDEN "MEDICAL LIST."  THIS TENANT HAD WELL KNOWN MEDICAL PROBLEMS THAT INVOLVED ASTHMA AND SEVERE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.  NATURALLY, THEY LANDED IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM.  THEIR ABODE FELT LIKE IT WAS LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT WITH THE SUN BLAZING UPON IT CONTINUOUSLY.  BUT ... BUT THEY ALSO WERE NOT ON THIS MARVELOUS "MEDICAL LIST."


AS THE SAGA CONTINUES, THEY FINALLY SENT THE CONTRACTORS TO PERFORM THE WORK ON AUGUST 07, 2010, EXACTLY TEN DAYS LATER AND ONLY AFTER CALLING WHO KNOWS HOW MANY TIMES.  WHEN THE CONTRACTORS ARRIVED, THEY WERE ABOUT TO PLACE A NEW SHEETROCK OVER ALL THE DAMAGES AND NOTHING ELSE.  IN MORE SIMPLIFIED WORDS, THEY WERE ONLY GOING TO COVER-UP ALL THE INTERNAL DAMAGES AND CALL IT A DAY -- NEVER MIND THE MOLD AND MILDEW; THE ROTTED WOOD; THE WATER DOWN AND DESTROYED INSULATION; THE SEWER SMELLING WATER STILL THERE; AND SO ON.  WELL THE PHOTOS BELOW AND THROUGHOUT THE BLOG TELL THE STORY.

IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THE PROPER AND SAFE WAY OF DEALING WITH THE REPAIR JOB WAS TO REMOVE THE AIR-CONDITIONING UNIT FROM THE AC ROOM OUT IN THE PATIO AREA; REMOVE THE BASE HOLDING THE UNIT THAT WAS ALSO DAMAGED BY THE WATER FLOOD AND RUST AND MOLD; FINISH TEARING DOWN THE MOLD AND WATER DAMAGED WALL ADJACENT TO THE LIVING ROOM; TREAT THE AREA FOR MOLD AND MILDEW; REPLACE THE AC BASE WITH A NEW ONE; TREAT THE REMAINING WALLS IN THE AC ROOM FOR MOLD AND MILDEW; PUT IN NEW SHEETROCK AND PAINT.  

AFTERWARD, THEY WERE WOULD PROCEED TO THE LIVING ROOM WALLS THAT WERE AFFECTED AND REMOVE WHAT IS LEFT OF IT; REMOVE AND REPLACE THE DAMAGED INSULATION; REMOVE ANY AND ALL REMAINING WATER; REMOVE AND REPLACE THE WATER ROTTED SUPPORT WOOD; INSURE THAT EVERYTHING IS COMPLETELY DRY; TREAT FOR MOLD AND MILDEW; REMOVE AND REPLACE THE BASEBOARD; THEN PLACE A NEW SHEETROCK ON THE OPEN SPACE; PRIME IT AND PAINT IT WITH THE ORIGINAL COLOR.

THE CONTRACTORS POINTED OUT THAT THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT HAD NOT APPROVED FOR ALL THAT WORK.  THAT ACCORDING TO THEM, IT WAS NOT REQUIRED, AND THEY WERE THERE TO JUST PUT UP A NEW WALL IN THE LIVING ROOM ONLY.  ONE CAN SUPPOSE THAT IT IS OKAY FOR TENANTS TO LIVE WITH MOLD AND MILDEW; WATER ROTTED SUPPORT  WOOD BEAMS WITHIN THE WALLS; SEWER SMELLING WATER STILL WITHIN THE WALLS; AND APPARENTLY WATER STILL LEAKING FROM SOMEWHERE AS YOU CAN HEAR IT DRIPPING RAPIDLY; INSULATION SO WATER DAMAGED, THAT IT CAN NO LONGER INSULATE, BUT CAN BE GROUND ZERO FOR CONTINUOUS ROT, DECAY, MOLD, AND MILDEW -- SOUNDS INVITING, DOESN'T IT?


DID EXPOSE THEM TO THE FACT THAT THE SUPER DETAILED PHOTOGRAPHS WERE ALL OVER THE INTERNET (EVEN SHOWED THEM) AND THAT ONE WAS MORE THAN READY FOR HOUSING COURT AND ANY OTHER LEGAL PROCEEDINGS NECESSARY.  FURTHER INFORMED THEM THAT DELEGATE SUSAN McCOMAS WAS FULLY AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND HAD EXPLICIT ACCESS TO THE PHOTOGRAPHS.

THEY LEFT AND CAME BACK APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR AND 30 MINUTES LATER.  THEY HAD ALL THE MATERIAL NECESSARY TO DO THE JOB CORRECTLY, EXCEPT THAT THE INSULATION WAS MADE OUT OF FOAM BOARD.  THEY ALSO HAD WITH THEM A VERY SOCIALABLE AND INTELLIGENT LITTLE GIRL.  WHILE HER COMPANY WAS MOST ENGAGING, IT WAS DISCONCERTING THAT THEY WERE EXPOSING A YOUNG CHILD TO MOLD, MILDEW, THE SMELL OF ROTTED WATER, DUST FROM THE DEBRIS, ETC.  HER LUNGS ARE STILL VERY YOUNG AND MUCH INFLUENCED BY SUCH ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS.  FOR THE SAKE OF HER PRIVACY, HER PICTURE WILL NOT BE POSTED.

NUMEROUS HOURS WENT BY, AND THE THE WORK WAS ALMOST COMPLETED.  THEY COMMENCED THE TASK OF PAINTING THE AC ROOM AND THEN THE LIVING ROOM WALL BY THE PATIO AND PART OF THE OTHER LIVING ROOM WALL AS WELL.  ONE HUGE PROBLEM HERE, THE PAINT WAS PURE WHITE WHILE THE REST OF THAT WALL AND THE APARTMENT WAS A BEIGE COLOR.  THE  CONTRACTORS WERE QUESTIONED AS TO WHAT THEY WERE DOING, AND AS THEY CONTINUED TO PAINT, THEY RESPONDED THAT THE PROPERTY MANAGER WANTED IT THAT WAY.  IT WAS STRESSED THAT THE APARTMENT WAS NOT WHITE, BUT BEIGE AND IT MADE THE LIVING ROOM LOOK HORRIBLE.  THEY WERE ASKED TO DISCONTINUE PAINTING AND TO WAIT FOR THE PROPER COLOR THAT MATCHED THE REST OF THE LIVING ROOM.  THE OFFICE WAS IMMEDIATELY CALLED AGAIN AND INFORMED OF SUCH.  THEY PROMISED THAT THEY WOULD CORRECT THE MATTER PERTAINING TO THE COLOR.  IT IS NOW ELEVEN DAYS LATER AND AFTER COUNTLESS CALLS AND CONSTANT PROMISES, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE.  UNFORTUNATELY, FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE EXPECTED FOR A BIG REUNION AND CELEBRATION AND THE CLEAN AND ORGANIZED LIVING ROOM IS AS TACKY AS CAN BE DUE TO THE PAINT JOB.  FINALLY MADE CONTACT WITH THE THE OFFICE AGAIN, AND THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY CALLED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE VOICE SAID THE NUMBER WAS OUT OF SERVICE -- WHEN WILL THEY STOP WITH THE FABRICATION OF STORIES.  AS IT TURNED OUT, ONCE THEY WERE QUESTIONED AS TO WHAT NUMBER THEY WERE CALLING, IT WASN'T THE CORRECT NUMBER, BUT THEY KNOW THAT.

HERE IS THEIR FINAL SOLUTION, THEY HAVE DECIDED TO REPAINT THE WHITE PORTION WITH A MUCH DARKER COLOR, SORT OF IN THE ORANGE RANGE.  NO NOT THE ENTIRE LIVING ROOM, JUST THAT PORTION OF THE WALL THAT WAS PAINTED WHITE.  SOUNDS LIKE THEY MIGHT BE HEADING TOWARDS ANOTHER PLANET?  MAYBE?


A FEW HOURS LATER THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO SEND SOMEONE OUT THE NEXT DAY (FRIDAY), AUGUST 27, 2010 TO TAKE A SAMPLE OF THE COLOR ON THE WALLS AND PAINT THE LIVING ROOM ON MONDAY. YES, THE VERY SAME DAY THAT THE FAMILY MEMBERS START ARRIVING.  LET US VISUALIZE THIS -- FURNITURE PLACE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LIVING ROOM BECAUSE CONTRACTORS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PAINTING; FAMILY MEMBERS HERE FOR THE REUNION SMASHED BETWEEN THE PAINTERS AND THE FURNITURE; THE MOBILITY DEVICES THAT SOME FAMILY MEMBERS UTILIZE; THE SMELL OF PAINT AS YOUR NEW ROOM ACCENT; PAINT BRUSHES; PAINT ROLLERS; PAINT PANS; THE PAINT CLOTH COVERING YOUR FURNITURE.  PERHAPS THEIR INTENT IS TO PAINT A FAMILY MEMBER TOGETHER WITH THE WALL SO THAT IT MIGHT BLEND IN BETTER THAN IT DOES NOW.

NEEDLESS TO SAY, FRIDAY HAS COME AND GONE AND NO ONE HAS MADE THE ATTEMPT TO STOP BY THE APARTMENT AND ACQUIRE THE PAINT SAMPLE. IT APPEARS THAT THE MANAGEMENT OFFICE HAS FORGOTTEN THE NAME OF THE COLOR THAT THEY HAVE BEEN USING FOR YEARS.


IT APPEARS THAT IN THE COURSE OF EVENTS, ANOTHER FACTOR HAD BEEN BYPASSED.  THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS REUNION WAS STOPPED BY THE FACT THAT MANY MEMBERS NOW DISABLED WITH MOBILITY DEVICES WERE UNABLE TO ACCESS THE SIDEWALK AS IT IS NOT HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE.  ONE FAMILY MEMBER AFTER ANOTHER COULD NOT GO FROM THE PARKING LOT TO THE SIDEWALK -- NO ACCESS.

UNFORTUNATELY, IF THEY CONTINUE ON THIS TREND -- LACK OF CONCERN, LACK OF REPAIRS, AND DISREGARD FOR THE DISABLED -- THEY WILL CONVERT THIS ONCE TRULY NICE COMPLEX INTO SUB-STANDARD HOUSING.  THE LONG-TIME AND NEW RESIDENTS ARE PRAYING THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN.