Black mold found in a Mililani home forces a mother to move out

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - A Mililani mother’s says her home is so infested with black mold she had to moved out.

So now, she is paying for her mortgage and rent.

"If you notice the wall behind the refrigerator, down in the corner, you can see the black mold that's starting to pierce through," said Pam Berry.

The retired Navy technician says she bought her town home at Hale Kaloapau in Mililani in 2011.

She said she found the mold last month while her unit was under renovation.

"When we were looking around the unit, I said, I wonder what's under here? And I looked and it was mold. So, I pulled it down. And I looked and I said, they were just going to hide the mold," Berry said.

Environmental Risk Analysis LLC, which specializes in mold assessments, inspected her unit two weeks ago and confirmed high volumes of mold in the kitchen and exterior wall.

“They said the mold spores were too high in the kitchen, for people to be in the kitchen. So, I can’t live in my unit now. So, I’m paying a mortgage, I’m paying rent, I’m paying maintenance fees.”

One of Berry’s neighbors is suing the Association of Apartment Owners of Hale Kaloapau over a leak. The complaint alleges the defendant, Hale Kaloapau, refused to authorize reasonable repairs and air quality testing to ensure their health and safety.

Berry, whose daughter is asthmatic, claims she isn’t getting any help from her property manager and is hoping the association’s leaders will act soon.

"Mold is a serious issue for people with bad health and small kids,” she said. "I'm trying to do the right thing.”

Hawaii News Now reached out to the property manager multiple times and did not received any response.

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