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Tenant alleges hazardous lead dust and unpermitted demolition at Wareham property in Emeryville
Summary
A tenant at a Wareham Development building told the Emeryville City Council she and neighbors have been exposed to heavy dust and lead contamination after demolition work began; she said relocation support and permit oversight were inadequate and asked city staff to follow up.
A tenant at a Wareham Development property told the Emeryville City Council on Tuesday that demolition and redevelopment work at her live-work building exposed residents to heavy dust and hazardous levels of lead, forced temporary displacement and left tenants with limited access to belongings.
Sarah Chestnut Fry told the council she has lived at the former cable-turning factory at Second Street for nearly eight years and that Wareham publicly announced plans to demolish and redevelop the property in 2021. "Since then, the building has steadily emptied out, leases haven't been renewed, and tenants have moved out without replacement," she said.
Fry said major demolition began in January and that tenants were exposed to heavy dust "without basic protections." "There were no barriers between active construction zones and common areas we still have to use every day," she said. "As a result, my unit and others have tested positive for hazardous levels of lead dust contamination. Everything we own now must be professionally cleaned."
Why it matters: The speaker said displacement and contamination have caused health problems, disrupted residents' lives and left tenants with unclear relocation support and timelines. She said only 14 of the 42 residential units remained occupied and that some tenants were displaced for more than a month.
City response and next steps: A city representative said staff will follow up with the tenant. The transcript records the clerk or mayor responding, "I trust city staff will follow-up with you." The council did not take any immediate formal action recorded in the meeting minutes on the complaint.
Clarifying details from the record: The tenant said the building dates to 1920, operates as live-work space, and that tenants reported intermittent utility shutoffs, a mandatory weeklong hotel stay and ongoing construction noise. She said much of the work appeared to be performed without permits or full city oversight and that tenants have sought lead-test results, documentation and confirmation of proper certifications.
What the council did: The complaint was entered during public comment; council members and staff acknowledged the concern and indicated staff follow-up would occur. No ordinance, emergency order, inspection report or relocation payment was recorded at this meeting.
