Residents say management won’t fix mold problem in south Charlotte apartments

CHARLOTTE — Residents at a southeast Charlotte apartment complex say management won’t fix mold problems that have lasted for months.

A resident, who wanted to be identified as Nicole, contacted Channel 9 after she said she had spent months trying to get the mold removed.

Nicole said she hasn’t had any luck getting help from property management at Crest on Providence in Providence Square.

“The smell is really bad, hence, why I have my mask on,” she said as she showed Channel 9 a neighbor’s apartment.

Nicole’s neighbor, who gave her permission to go into the apartment, has moved into another apartment.

Inside the old apartment, mold could be seen growing on air-conditioning vents. Watermarks were on ceilings and walls and mold spores were on the carpet and walls.

“It really makes me angry, because no one should have to live like this,” Nicole said.

She said Blake Bouldin, a mold inspector with Integrity Environmental Solutions, has inspected her apartment and her neighbor’s apartment.

Channel 9 met Bouldin at the complex and he took us on a tour. Bouldin explained how bad the mold was inside the apartment.

“You can see all of the mold growth that’s on that vent,” he said, pointing a flashlight. “What happens is, the air pushes through that vent, there are spores that are on this mold right here, and they enter into the air.”

He then used an infrared light on the carpet, which showed more mold.

“So, this carpet is undoubtedly filled with mold spores,” he said.

Then, he opened a vent inside the apartment, which was dark gray and filled with dust and mold.

Nicole believes the mold that has built up in her home is from flooding that seeps into her foyer when it rains. Video she shared with Channel 9 shows how deep it can get.

“It is unsafe,” she exclaimed.

Bouldin said he tested Nicole’s apartment for mold and found roughly 15,000 mold spores. He said a normal level would be a few hundred spores.

“It can be problematic,” he said.

Nicole believes her kids could be getting sick from the mold, with many of them suffering from respiratory problems, she said.

“I mean, they really need to take a look at this,” Nicole said. “Mold is a serious issue and it has impacting effects on people’s health.”

Channel 9 reached out to the complex to ask about the issues and if they would be addressed.

A spokesperson said in a statement, “We are aware of concerns raised by a few residents at Crest on Providence and have proactively taken significant steps to address them. We also expanded our on-site team with a full-time staff member focused on addressing code compliance and major repairs at the community. The well-being of residents at all of our communities is our top priority.”

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