While Yorkville is trying to determine if mold issues at City Center Apartments are the fault of the landlord or tenants, both sides sounded off at this week's City Council meeting.
City Administrator Bart Olson said a report is being analyzed to see if any violations have occurred and a plan of action is being formulated.
Property owner Jim Markby said tenants are not looking at the data compiled in separate reports commissioned by the city and the apartments.
"It's difficult to listen to some of the testimony here,” he said. “Nowhere in any of those reports is the word toxic used, by the way. I'm not a physician and I wouldn't try to be, I just know that there are people who have sensitivity to mold.”
"To quote a couple of the [reports'] summary lines, causes of the microbial growth are due to hygienically unclean, functional living space," he said. "The other says due to lack of good housekeeping practices."
Tricha Folino, of Yorkville, spoke up about the problems at 112 Schoolhouse Road that have persisted since May. She said mold is growing on her TV after previously appearing on her couch.
"[Markby] came in and cleaned it with [mold remover] and said if it comes back, just use that," she said. "It's been maybe a week or so and it's right back on the couch. I have three little children and I've asked to have this problem resolved and I just need to bring that up because it's out of control every time you turn around."
Racheal LaRue, another tenant, said while inspections and reports are appreciated, she's experiencing health complications as a result of the mold.
"Obviously, I've had an opportunity to review your work and from that, they're refunding vouchers at my apartment, which has found toxic mold," she said. "I really appreciate you finding that out. That definitely does help my doctors as far as treatment goes."
The extent of the problem is an issue, she said.
"My only concern is that you found it in my apartment," LaRue said. "I think that I mentioned this before, that what you can't see, you can obviously can smell in those units— the damaged water, building materials, that you can't see behind the walls or in the ceiling.”
LaRue said there are other apartments experiencing mold issues.
"Unfortunately, those units were not tested," she said. "My fear is that soggy botches are all throughout those buildings, not just my unit. I'm concerned about the children currently still residing there and future tenants that potentially will live there."