Lawsuit filed against Segerstrom

Lolita Harper

A group of tenants filed a joint, 13-complaint lawsuit Wednesday

alleging officials of the Mesa Verde Villa Apartments, owned by

Segerstrom Properties, ignored complaints of toxic mold for more than

two years.

The tenants of the Mesa Verde Drive East complex are charging the

property managers with “negligent maintenance of premises,”

“fraudulent concealment” and “negligent infliction of emotional

stress” -- among other things -- according to the lawsuit filed in

Orange County Superior Court.

Residents, such as Diane Shabba, contend they have been plagued

with health problems, which include fatigue and coughing up blood, as

a result of the mold, according to the documents.

Mesa Verde Villa Apartments Property Manager Eric Nelson said he

knew nothing about the lawsuit and declined to comment further before

speaking with the property owners.

“I’m just a pawn in the big picture, so I can’t say anything right

now,” Nelson said.

Segerstrom officials were unavailable for comment by press time.

Mesa Verde Villa Apartments is a 180-unit complex, with rents

starting at about $1,300 for a one-bedroom plan.

But residents say the pricey rents did not ensure quality and

claim that carpets, floorboards and walls were blanketed with

colonies of toxic mold. Attorney Richard Quintilone, who represents

the 27 tenants, said that when management was asked to make repairs

it simply ignored complaints or said it would cost too much to fix.

Quintilone said many of the tenants began complaining as early as

1999. By late 2001, many had already developed illnesses, which they

claim to be a result of the hazardous bacteria. Some of the symptoms

include respiratory illness, rashes, headaches, seizures and a

terminated pregnancy, the lawsuit alleges.

The California Legislature recognized the effects of possibly

harmful bacteria in the state’s Toxic Mold Protection Act of 2001,

which requires the California Department of Health Services to assess

the health threat caused by indoor mold, officials said.

* LOLITA HARPER covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at lolita.harper@latimes.com.