Katy's Exposure

Catie Beck Staff reporter

Emails, phone calls and even in-person visits to our station over the past week have been flooding in. Residents and former employees contacted us wanting to tell their story about Space Properties. The business has an “F” rating with the Better Business Bureau and some who worked there believe they know why.

“I think it is a big, true scam,” said Jamie White.

And for two years, White says he was part of it. He was a maintenance man for Space Properties but says he quit two weeks ago. He says what tenants have told CBS 6 is true.

“The tenants, they show them a model apartment and then they give them something that looks totally different,” said White

White says once the lease is signed, tenants are ignored and many want to leave and get their money back.

White says complaints over this practice alone happen constantly and daily, not to mention unfixed repairs, bug infestations and flooding in to apartments that leave mold behind.

“I’ve been to apartments that are covered in green mold…the whole apartment covered in mold,” said White.

White says most problems never got fixed…even gas leaks that were tagged by regulators.

“I’ve done it a hundred times just pulled the tag right off,” said White.

And even the mold. He says he painted over it. I asked if White any responsibilities for those actions.

“I do because I was one of the ones who did it, I’d go over there and paint over mold but that’s what they told me I had to do,” said White.

Richmond City Councilman Charles Samuels says the reports of a business like this operating in his district are concerning and he plans to investigate.

“This situation is unfortunate as it’s playing out and if all of this is true, it’s a disaster,” said Samuels.

White says it is true. And it’s time someone told the truth, the residents deserve it.

“For them to see me backing them up…I think it’s going to mean a lot to them…and maybe relieve my conscience a little bit,” said White.

With each of our stories we attempt to talk with Space Properties. We tried again on Wednesday but our call was not returned.

Space Properties also has several pending discrimination complaints. Fair housing advocates are investigating a new claim this week. After our stories, they say they’ve made contact with at least six people with more allegations and some still to call back.

www.wtvr.com

Read all 79 comments

Maybe Space Properties should have attended the National Apartment Association (NAA) educational meeting that was held in Richmond this week.

NAA educates its members as to the potential for severe adverse health effects among tenants in moldy rentals.

NAA Blog: Mold, Your Silent Enemy

““Remember, mold can cause major health problems and even death. Don’t let it get out of control and affect your company or your residents.”

However, if one sues an NAA member for illness or death from a moldy apartment, they will jump into the litigation and tell the courts the exact opposite, while citing to the US Chamber of support this scientific fraud on the courts.

NAA Amicus in litigation involving infant deaths:

“In a report entitled,‘A Scientific View of the Health Effects of Mold’, a panel of scientists, including toxicologists and industrial hygienists stated that years of intense study have failed to produce any causal connection between exposure to indoor mold and adverse health effects.’ U.S. Chamber of Commerce, A Scientific View of the Health Effects of Mold (2003)” Stinky! Stinky!

resident of space wrote, “People that are reading this story are only getting educated on ONE side of the story.”

Okay. Here’s both sides. It is clearly evident there is a systemic problem within the multi-unit property management industry when the national association (aka political action committee) to which these large property mgmt companies belong, the National Apartment Association (NAA)tells their members one side of the story via public websites. The need to clean up water damaged apartments or someone could die from the poor environment. Yet, they submit LEGAL DOCUMENTS on behalf of their members stating the exact opposite, the other side. That years of intense study have purported failed to make a causal link between mold, ill health and even death.

I think that is called interstate insurance fraud by knowingly misleading the courts on the science to gain unfair advantage for the insurer and property mgmt company in litigation.

This case linked below involves the death of two new born infants who were brought home from the hospital to the same building which is documented as moldy apartments in Arizona. There’s your two sides to the same story with one common goal: GREED at the expense of the well being of one’s fellowman.

ARIZONA APPELLATE COURT DEFINES “OUTRAGEOUS! BEHAVIOR” AND THEN PROCEEDS TO PRACTICE IT, JUST LIKE THE SAN DIEGO COURTS HAVE FOR FIVE YEARS OVER THE SAME ISSUES – Fraud In Health Marketing By the US Chamber of Commerce et al. Submitting Known False Legal Documents By Licensed Attorneys

Sharon Noonan Kramer

U.S. Chamber of Commerce & Deceit in Mold Litigation

TRUTH OUT Sharon Kramer Letter To Andrew Saxon MOLD ISSUE

National Apartment Association Tells Its Members MOLD CAUSES DEATH; Tells Courts It Doesn’t With The Help of US Chamber and UCLA

Thank You National Apartment Association. I will do my best to get this very important information out ASAP to numerous owners, investors, huge property management companies (e.g., Riverstone Residential), attorneys, and judges, AND, of course, to the MANY people who are currently living in MOLD-INFESTED APARTMENT COMPLEXES right now! katy

Political Action Committee – National Apartment Association (NAA) files Amicus Brief in mold case (two infant deaths in mold filled apt – Wasatch Prop Mgmt) citing US Chamber/ACOEM ‘litigation defense report’ to disclaim health effects of indoor mold & limit financial risk for industry

FEMA Using US Chamber Fraud in Katrina Trailer Litigation; EPA, GAO & Both Isle$ of Congre$$ Turn Blind Eye$

“Changes in construction methods have caused US buildings to become perfect petri dishes for mold and bacteria to flourish when water is added. Instead of warning the public and teaching physicians that the buildings were causing illness; in 2003 the US Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, a think-tank, and a workers comp physician trade organization mass marketed an unscientific nonsequitor to the courts to disclaim the adverse health effects to stave off liability for financial stakeholders of moldy buildings. Although publicly exposed many times over the years, the deceit lingers in US courts to this very day.”

Sharon Noonan Kramer

Information about Riverstone Residential, the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency, and the owners of Jefferson Lakes Apartments in Baton Rouge, Louisiana allowing tenants to be exposed to extreme amounts of toxins from molds by intentionally concealing evidence

Irrefutable evidence indicates that Riverstone Residential, Guarantee Service Team of Professionals, & plaintiffs’ attorney, J Arthur Smith III, must have agreed to exclude evidence that would have shown the owners of Jefferson Lakes Apartments & Riverstone Residential had knowledge of the severe MOLD INFESTATION at the complex before we moved in

Riverstone Residential Litigation

Mold Inspection Reports

Photos of Mold in Apartment

Attorney Malpractice

Links – Riverstone Residential Mold & Illegal Business Practice Complaints & More!