Tenants might be allowed to reclaim their asbestos-contaminated belongings

Houston, TX – Elderly tenants who had been forced to evacuate from their homes because of a fire now have hope in getting their belongings back, although tainted by asbestos.

Mayor Bill White said the Bellerive apartments’ owner should allow the tenants to collect their personal belongings from their apartment on the stipulation that they agree not to hold the owner, the Houston Housing Authority, responsible for asbestos damage.

The complex experienced a fire last November, and many tenants have been living with friends and relatives since then. The agency is also paying for their housing costs.

The housing authority says it believes 61 of 210 apartments might have been contaminated with asbestos as a result of the fire. The tenants were told that if they don’t arrange to have their possessions cleaned before repair work begins on the apartments, their items will be destroyed during the work.

However, the low-income tenants said they couldn’t afford to pay the estimated $3,400 cost to clean up each apartment. Based on monetary value of some people’s possessions, it wouldn’t make sense to pay for the cleanup, but it’s the sentimental value of the items that mean so much to them.

Mayor White is urging the housing authority, whose board he appoints, to hold back on destroying the items until the city can figure out a solution. He wants the city and the housing authority to work together to create a legal waiver that tenants would have to sign before reclaiming their belongings.

It is uncertain how the asbestos on their items will be dealt with, however. Horace Allison, the agency’s senior vice president, said that being exposed to any level of asbestos is hazardous.

**For a FREE information packet including treatments, clinical trials, and specialists, please complete the form above or call a Mesothelioma Web coordinator at 1-877-367-6376.

News

Resources

If you would like to receive a FREE information packet or have questions about mesothelioma, call us at:

Toll-Free 1-877-367-6376