DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport family may only have 48 hours to move out of their apartment after an infestation of black mold.
Michelle Regans moved into her apartment on 16th Street last June and since then black mold has continued to spread.
Regans has tried to contact the property manager numerous times but kept getting excuses for not taking care of the issues.
The living room, the bathroom, and even the kitchen has mold in every crevice. A city inspector walked through today and was shocked in what he saw.
“He walked in and he was just like shaking his head like “wow this has gotten worse”,” says Regans. “From what he was saying the outcome could be me having to move.”
Regans and her family may have to pack up their belongings and get out in 48 hours.
“I don’t have anywhere to go,” Regans comments. “I don’t have any funds and I lost a job.”
Regans tells News 8 the mold continues to spread because of the humid and damp conditions in the apartment.
The family had thermostats installed around Christmas time and the temperature continues to stay close to 80 degrees when it should be closed to 68 degrees.
The mold has gotten so bad her eleven-month-old grandson is having breathing problems.
“I got to take him to the ER because he keeps having the same issues – upper respiratory infections,” Regans comments.
“ A lot of them are like cold symptoms: runny nose, runny eyes, stuffiness,” says Janet Hill, Rock Island County Health Department. “It can aggravate asthma and make it much worse.”
Now her grandson’s infection has escalated to bronchitis after a recent visit to the doctor.
“Right now, I’m like clueless,” says Regans. “I am standing here and I’m trying to figure it out, but I have nothing. I wish I could get out of here. I wish I had somewhere to go.”
To get rid of black bold in a home can be difficult. Health officials suggest buying a dehumidifier or scrubbing the area with one cup of bleach per one gallon of water.
To donate to the family's GoFundMe campaign go to gf.me/u/qzh3hu .
