The Herald, Sharon, PA Published Saturday, June 1, 2002

WHEATLAND

Family displaced by mold needs short-term home

By Joe Pinchot
Herald Staff Writer

Mark Raymond wants out of his mold-infested house in Wheatland, but is having a hard time finding a new place to stay.

"They think we're going to bring the mold with us," said Raymond, buyer of one of the five homes built in 2000 on Woodland Avenue in Wheatland that have become infested with mold.

But, Raymond said, essentially all he'll have will be the clothes on his back, his two dogs and some personal documents. His niece, who lives with him and is co-owner of his house, also will be with him.

"We're literally leaving here with practically nothing," he said Friday.

Community Homebuyers Inc., developer of the houses, has offered to pay for temporary housing and rental furniture for any of the families in the homes.

Raymond said CHI officials were discussing whether it also would pay for clothing and food during that time. The mold inspector recommended that nothing be removed from the homes so that the mold is not disturbed or spread.

Raymond said he would like to rent a house with at least two bedrooms and room for his dogs, preferably close to Wheatland.

"We're going to have to come back and let people in," he said of his Woodland home.

Raymond, a double amputee who uses a wheelchair, said he has seen some mobile homes, but has found nothing suitable. He has ruled out a motel or an apartment because of his dogs. He also has talked to real estate agents, but they've told him they have nothing available.

Raymond added that Mercer County Housing Authority offered a public housing apartment in Pine Hollow Village, Sharon, and would accept his dogs, but he is hesitant to take it so the dogs don't cause trouble with other residents.

"I'll have that as a last desperation option," Raymond said.

Raymond said probably he will only need the housing for about two months, until he decides what he wants to do with his house.

CHI, a non-profit affiliate of Mercer County Housing Authority, has hired two companies to deal with the mold and the water drainage problem that likely is a cause of the rapid mold growth.

Microbac Laboratories of Erie has been hired to address the mold problem. Authority Executive Director L. DeWitt Boosel said earlier this week he thought Microbac still was waiting for some of the homeowners to turn over their mold inspection reports.

CHI agreed to pay for the inspections and that they be done by an inspector of the homeowners' choosing, Gary Gazda, as long as the reports would be turned over to them.

"Microbac is coming back Monday to do some more testing," Raymond said. "What kind of testing they're going to be doing, I don't know."

Boosel could not be reached for comment.

Hickory Engineering Inc., Hermitage, has developed a plan to alleviate the drainage problem, and is expected to present it to Wheatland council at the council work session Monday.

The plan involves installing catch basins and new drain pipe in the rear yards of the homes.

Anyone interested in renting Raymond a house can call him at (724) 342-9728.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Joe Pinchot at jpin chot@sharon-herald.com



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