BOZEMAN, Mont. — A Bozeman woman says concerns about mold inside the apartment she has called home for 15 years are affecting her health. After taking those concerns to property management, she received a 14-day eviction notice.
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Lexie Potter, 47, works as a cleaner at Montana State University and has lived at the Bridger Apartments, just off Professional Drive, for the past 15 years.
Potter said she first discovered mold inside a closet about two years ago.
“About two years ago, I found mold in this closet. Since then, I’ve been having a hard time breathing,” Potter said.
Potter hired a private inspector to test her unit for mold. She said the test came back positive and she believes the mold has affected the air quality inside her apartment.
She said her health has also suffered, making some days difficult to get through.
“I’ve missed a lot of work recently, just not feeling well. Severe brain fog, severe fatigue, um, a lot of weird, unexplained symptoms,” Potter said.
Potter said her concerns about the air quality grew after her pets died.
“I had a cat and a dog. They recently passed, so at the back of my mind, I thought there was something wrong with the air quality in my apartment,” Potter said. “So I did a mold test that came back positive and notified the landlord.”
Potter said she then brought her concerns to Alliance Property Management.
“Only after they hired an environmental specialist, they thought maybe my housekeeping caused the mold issue,” Potter said.
Allison Chestnut, owner of Alliance Property Management, said third-party inspectors are brought in to check for mold and that certified mitigation companies are used when a mold issue is identified.
Chestnut said Potter’s unit is the only one at the property where management has received a complaint about mold.
After KBZK interviewed Potter, she received a 14-day eviction notice.
Bozeman’s Tenant Union says the organization now plans to support Potter and other tenants at Bridger Apartments.
