Contra Costa Times
Tenants of an apartment complex here are suing their management company over claims that it failed to remove mold that made them sick. About 30 residents of Portofino Apartments on Loveridge Circle are signing onto a lawsuit, said attorney Bob Levin, against management company Riverstone Residential Group, citing poor living conditions and retaliatory responses to complaints. Levin said he plans to file the suit “within the statutory period,” once he meets with all prospective plaintiffs. The common thread among the tenants’ complaints is allegations of mold growing on walls, in carpet, and in windowsills and doorjambs. Other complaints include cockroach and rodent infestations, broken heating and air conditioning systems, and faulty smoke detectors. Residents say their concerns have been ignored, and instead were met with eviction threats. “I have investigators looking into other aspects of this,” said Levin, who is considering seeking class-action status. “I don’t know how far this thing’s going to go.”