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New homeowner raises mold, odor and possible fraud concerns for house on 11200 Saint Shawn Lane
Summary
A new homeowner told the Board of Aldermen she discovered mold, a persistent odor and flooding in the crawl space of a house she purchased at 11200 Saint Shawn Lane and alleged the condition was not disclosed at sale.
A new homeowner told the Board of Aldermen that she believes she was sold a home with a contaminated crawl space and that efforts to remediate the problem have failed after a subsequent flood.
Marina Armstrong said she moved into 11200 Saint Shawn Lane on May 31, 2024, and shortly afterward noticed a strong odor coming from the crawl space. She said the realtor had not disclosed the crawl space and had blocked the door during showings; she also said a private inspector the realtor supplied did not address the issue to her satisfaction. “It was so bad that I literally tried to sleep in my car,” Armstrong said.
Armstrong said she paid to have the crawl space gutted and treated; a contractor documented fungus in the space, took photos and performed remediation. She said the space flooded again in April 2025 and the odor returned, and she now is living outside the house while she seeks redress. Armstrong said she believes the sale involved nondisclosure and called it “fraudulent and a breach of contract.”
City staff told Armstrong that regulation of realtors is not within the city’s authority under state law and that the matter is likely civil and between the buyer, the realtor and the private inspector. Staff suggested Armstrong pursue county occupancy inspections, review any inspection reports and consult civil remedies; no board action was taken. Armstrong said she wanted the issue on the record so authorities and residents were aware of the situation.
