WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A Tampa Bay Area woman is now safe after dealing with a mold infested condo for several years.
ABC Action News first spoke with Erica Ray in May, who complained that she had water pouring into her home and creating a dangerous and unhealthy environment.
Polk County condo owners claim homes are infested with mold
The biggest issue for Ray, was that her immune system couldn’t handle the dangerous spores because of her ongoing battle with breast cancer.
“Having open wounds from radiation and from surgery, it could have killed me,” Ray said.
It took three months, but Garrison Property Services, LLC is now footing the bill for Ray and her two children to live in a temporary home while her condo is being torn apart and rebuilt.
When ABC Action News visited The Royal Crescent in Winter Haven on Friday, a sign read ‘Mold Remediation’ and ‘Do Not Enter.’ Neighbors said code enforcement had entered the apartment the day before wearing what looked like hazmat suits.
“We lost a lot of our belongings and memories,” Ray explains to ABC Action News. She said they were forced to get rid of their clothes and furniture because reports showed high levels of mold within the home.
We checked with code enforcement to see just how bad it was, but were told the case was in code enforcement litigation and only the Polk County Attorney could talk about the case.
ABC Action News searched complaints online and found four cases against Garrison Property Services, LLC.
“I want to know what is going on here, what is everyone facing how can we help each other,” said Ray.
Neighbors were not immediately available to speak about their complaints with ABC Action News, but according to the HOA they are working with the county code enforcement to fix the problems and say their first course of action will be raising fees to cover the cost.
“I want everyone here to be safe, everyone to feel better,” Ray said.
The HOA added it could take as long as four to six months before Ray and her children are able to move back in.
