Detroit family forced to leave mold-ridden Section 8 house
DETROIT (WJBK) - Tanishia Goudy and her two children are leaving home - leaving behind books, toys and clothes and beds she fears could be contaminated.
They are leaving not because they want to, but because she has to, saying the house is bad for their health and she needs help.
"I need help and they're not trying to help me and their program is to help mothers and families and we're not getting the help we deserve," she said.
Tanishia fears water problems in the home have now become mold problems. She and her children all have asthma and she's worried their health is in danger.
"I have to do what's best for me and my children and I have to walk away from everything I just worked so hard for to get," she said.
Tanishia and her children moved into the Section 8 home on Prairie Street at the end of last year. They had spent nearly a year in a homeless shelter. A few months after moving in, she says the plumbing problems started. The basement filled with water and sewage.
"I called the property management company for four days straight - and they didn't send anybody out to help us, "she said.
The owners of the home live on the west coast so her acting landlord is Portfolio Property Management in Clinton Township. She says they replaced some pipes but now, there's this other problem.
"We have to sleep in the front room - we can't sleep in our rooms anymore because the mold is overtaking everything in our house," she said.
Portfolio tells FOX 2 they don't know if the problem is mildew or mold but they're trying to set up an inspection to find out. Tanishia says she also called Property Consultants in Dearborn. They handle Section 8, but, she says, they told her to clean it herself.
"And I'm like, I can't do that. I'm not licensed to do that. I need some help - can you send somebody to help me?" she said.
Property Consultants told FOX 2 they'll set up an inspection within seven days, but that's not soon enough for Tanishia.
FOX 2 reached out to Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries. They were able to get Tanishia and the kids out of the house, at least for now, but they are back in a shelter.
"So now I have to start all over," she said. "I'm at rock bottom again and I don't know what we're going to do."
The city health department is coming out for an inspection on Friday and the building, safety, engineering and environmental department is sending an inspector as well.