Joseph Espinal thought he was doing the right thing when he moved into his Parkland home late in 2006. He still loves the neighborhood and his neighbors, but the father of two wants to move out as soon as he can.
Espinal is one of the many homeowners in Heron Bay whose life has been thrown off the rails due to the use of Chinese drywall in their houses. The drywall, imported during the building boom of 2002 to 2006, emits sulfur causing an unpleasant odor and corroding wiring and air-conditioning coils. People living in such houses have also complained of health problems like sinus infections, headaches and sore throats.
“I don’t want to stay here. This home is not worth anything to me,” Espinal told Mayor Michael Udine, who visited the community after hearing about the issue. “Two years of breathing this toxic air; I’ve had enough. If I have to live in a trailer, I will.”
It’s not just homeowners in Heron Bay that have been affected. Similar complaints have been pouring in from homes in Sable Point, Creekside and the Parkland Golf and Country Club. Many residents packed City Hall at a commission meeting last week to seek help.
City officials responded to the problem by forming a three-member task force that will report to them on the number of houses that have been affected by Chinese drywall.
Earlier, Udine joined residents in a trip to Tallahassee where they met with the offices of the governor and the attorney general.
Udine wants federal assistance for the affected residents. “This is a silent hurricane. No one knows what to do. It’s a nationwide issue. Things need to be done. They can’t wait 10 years for a class action lawsuit. There are serious health issues.”
The residents’ outcry seems to have the desired effect with Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) writing to Gov. Charlie Crist urging him to declare a state of emergency in Florida. If Crist obliges, it would help state and local officials in their attempt to get funding, from the Federal Emergency Management Authority (FEMA), for repair of the affected homes.
Comments (4)
Can anybody tell me if there is a problem regarding the chinese drywall in Creekside ?
Posted by scott silverman | April 14, 2009 10:47 AM
Posted on April 14, 2009 10:47
Hello my name is lisa Pompile I work for Bio-safe environmental. If You would like to conatct us for chinese drywall remediation and testing please call 561-997-5785
Posted by lisa pompile | April 20, 2009 4:20 PM
Posted on April 20, 2009 16:20
The defective Chinese drywall debacle has been making news for months now, with homeowners plagued by sulfur fumes that smell like “rotten eggs” and cause air conditioning coils to corrode. Residents complain of sinus and respiratory ailments, eye and skin irritation, persistent runny or bloody noses, headaches, and asthma. Some situations were so severe that residents had to vacate their homes. In some cases, victims have been harassed by builders into signing unfair, one-side remediation agreements. The issues surrounding defective Chinese drywall are confusing and worrisome. Here is a good blog that has been providing emerging and valuable information on the problems: www.chinese-drywall-answers.com
Posted by Cynthia | August 15, 2009 9:53 AM
Posted on August 15, 2009 09:53
The first Chinese drywall lawsuit begins this month and here is some good information: http://www.chinese-drywall-answers.com/. People living with Chinese drywall have suffered eye, respiratory, and sinus problems that may be linked to the gases emitted from defective Chinese drywall that produce a sulfurous odor and causes metals—air conditioning coils, silverware, jewelry—to corrode. Some 500 million pounds of Chinese drywall was imported into this country since the late 1990s, impacting about 100,000 homes.
Posted by Cynthia | January 8, 2010 9:26 AM
Posted on January 8, 2010 09:26