Aurora Woman Finds Mushroom Growing out of Shower

JULY 7, 2019, BY ALEX ROSE, Fox 31 Denver

AURORA, Colo. — About six months ago, Jacqueline Martinez moved into her first apartment with her daughter at the Courtyards at Buckley in Aurora. It wasn’t until a couple days ago that she noticed an unwanted visitor growing in her child’s bathroom: a mushroom.

“I was just concerned because my daughter does have respiratory issues,” Martinez said.

She said she also spotted what appeared to be black mold along the side of her shower.

“It was just disgusting!” she said. “I mean, what else in growing underneath there?”

Over the past month, Aurora Code Enforcement has issued two violations to the Courtyards at Buckley Apartments, including Martinez’s place. A spokesperson for the city said there have been five other complaints, but Code Enforcement has not been able to follow up due to the reporting party not being present, withdrawing complaints, or moved out of the unit.

The Problem Solvers have requested the latest inspection for Martinez’s apartment. Code Enforcement says it will be inspected again on July 9.

Martinez said maintenance came in and removed the mushroom, but believes they didn’t address the root of the problem. Other residents have complained about maintenance painting over mold.

“You need to find the source,” said Howard Schenker, vice president of Premier Environmental LLC, which deals with asbestos and mold across the Denver metro area. “Because if you don’t remove the source that’s causing the mold to grow, it’s gonna come back.”

Schenker said they typically sand the studs down to remove the mold, and then treat it with a chemical that won’t allow it to grow back, before conducting spore tests in the air and the impacted area.

The Problem Solvers reached out to JRK Property Holdings in Los Angeles, which manages the apartments. It declined to comment.

Every two years, the city of Aurora does systematic inspections of every apartment complex. The Courtyards at Buckley are scheduled for their next inspection in Fall of 2019.

Author: Carolyn Willbanks