‘Everything was covered in mold’: Outbreak of mold plaguing renters in Clay County neighborhood

ORANGE PARK, Fla. — Mold covering clothes, furniture, and even the bed.

That’s been the reality for at least three neighbors renting townhomes in the Grove Pointe neighborhood in Orange Park over the past several weeks.

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“Everything in my closet. I threw away probably right around $300 in clothing away because everything was covered in mold,” Grove Pointe neighbor Victoria Zentner said.

The neighbors say the issues peaked after Hurricane Helene in September, but they believe the mold has been present for even longer.

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The townhomes were just built last year, which makes the residents think the problems could be linked to the way the units were constructed.

Zentner said her family has even experienced medical issues over the past year, which she suspects are linked to the outbreak.

“I’ve had pneumonia this year. My daughter has been in and out of the hospital with infections herself,” Zentner said.

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Making matters worse, the neighbors claim the property manager, Invitation Homes, has been slow to respond.

Renter Quianna Nieves told Action News Jax the property manager has offered little in the way of temporary housing to get residents out of the mold-infested units.

“They said an Airbnb is not on the table, a hotel is not on the table. They’re not offering that. The only thing that they want to offer me is to break my lease,” Nieves said.

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We reached out to Invitation Homes for comment.

“We took over management of these homes a few months ago, and this issue appears contained to a certain number of units. We’re working with the owner and the impacted residents to address the situation,” said an Invitation Homes company spokesperson in an emailed statement.

But the neighbors argue the efforts are not enough.

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At a minimum, they said they want help paying for a temporary place to stay, while they seek a new permanent place to live.

“We did look at an apartment. We might be signing a lease on that, but that’s not even available until another 23 days from now. So, what am I supposed to do for 23 days if you guys won’t put me in a hotel?” Nieves said.

Neighbors told Action News Jax at this point, if the management company doesn’t make things right, they’re considering a class-action lawsuit in hopes of being compensated for their lost and damaged property.

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