- February 24, 2020
Residents of the Meheli Palms Apartments, which is located at 215 H Street in Chula Vista, claim that they have been given a week to pack up their belongings and move elsewhere.
The tenants are wondering if their eviction is legal and as such, they have reached out to a few attorneys. While they figure out the legalities, the families are trying to find someplace new to live after they have been forced out of their homes. They said that the reason for their removal is due to water and plumbing issues in the building.
“I’m dealing with the unknown because they told us, ‘you have a week to find a new home,” Jorge Sanchez said.
Sanchez and his family have been tenants of the building for almost a year. He said that his unit is one of 17 where the tenants were given just a week’s notice that they have to be out of their homes.
“Right now, I’m survival mode. I contacted my retirement to see if they can send me some funds,” he said. Sanchez is an IT professional and works at a local university. He says that he and his wife has received a letter from Capital Growth Properties that stated because there was water intrusion and severe repairs, it will take longer than 60 days and that they are terminating the family’s lease.
While Sanchez has renters insurance, he said that his insurance company said that because there is no damage to his actual property, he does not qualify for a claim.
Additionally, Sanchez is concerned about the health of his 10-year-old daughter.
“A neighbor said there was a lot of mold, that they had to break down the walls and the pipes had some issues, too”, Sanchez said. He says that he hasn’t seen any actual water damage in his apartment, but he does recall seeing mold growing on some boots in his closet. He thought it was strange, but just threw the boots out. His daughter had pneumonia a few months ago and now he wonders if her illness could be related to mold exposure.
Sanchez had to take the day off from work so that he and his wife could try to get a new apartment; however, apartments are limited in the area and those that are available on such short notice cost about $2,000 a month. The family is currently paying $1,500 a month for their apartment.
The letter issued from Capital Growth Properties stated that Sanchez should receive one month’s rent to compensate for the sudden upheaval, but he says that he has not seen any money yet. As such, he is having a hard time coming up with a security deposit and first month’s rent for a new place.
Mold Inspection & Testing San Diego has years of experience performing mold assessments in the city and surrounding areas. We urge all apartment owners to schedule regular mold inspections so that they can avoid such severe upheavals while protecting the safety of their tenants. To speak with an MI&T representative, call 619.550.2079.
