Even after we raised concerns about our building and filed, attended and participated in a hearing with HCIDLA to voice our concerns about the THP to put new pipes in our building, the hearing officer ignored our concerns and construction went ahead. We were forced to stand by. We were here while they knocked out the walls. We were here while they put in the new pipes and made the connections. And we were here when they fixed the drywall and and painted. I took pictures and video and documented the entire process. (see the post titled our repipe experience.)
Here is the rub: We knew there was asbestos in the building. The owner knew. The management company knew. They had been fined. HCIDLA knew, we even brought up the question of fines at the hearing, an inquiry that was quietly brushed aside and redirected. Even Israel the head plumber at Streamline knew as Lora, my neighbor wrote an email to him, in which she cced Larry Gross with CES, and asked him if he was concerned and what steps would be taken to reduce our exposure. She sent photos of apartment 17 which was draped in plastic and had an obscured notice warning that asbestos was present because the city shut down the remodel, fined Power Property for hiring an unlicensed and underage worker, and sent in a hazmat agency in to do testing.
One hour after that email went out, several tenants, me, Lora, and Patty, observed that the plastic sheeting and the warning sign had been quietly removed. (See post titled Conceal, Deny, Cover Up!)
On July 24th the construction began and for several weeks we were willfully exposed to asbestos as the crew hammered out the walls and changed the pipes. Power Property Management, the owner, and the plumber knew asbestos was present but they willfully exposed us to it anyway. Samples from apartment 17 were taken and tested months before. All work was halted. The apartment was shrouded in plastic and a warning sign was posted. Yet for reasons unknown, construction was allowed to continue in the rest of the building.
Next came the repipe at building 11930, One person filed for a hearing. Brent Parsons called her and cajoled her into canceling telling her she was only wasting everyone's time. She cancelled the hearing and that building too had the walls opened and the pipes replaced.
When it came time for 11935 to have their work done, they appealed and went armed with test results. The hearing officer stopped the construction. Brent Parsons from Power Property Management lost his cool and he singled out one of the tenants and called him chicken shit. They almost came to blows. An inspector was sent to the building and that same day. Then this notice appeared.
As a tenant of 11915, I feel that our concerns were ignored, our rights were violate. Power Property Management, the owner, and the plumber knew asbestos was present but they willfully exposed us to it anyway.
Tests had been done on the building months before. They had the results. The city made them post a warning sign. Why were they allowed to continue with the rest of the building? I am going to initiate a complaint with CES.
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