MILWAUKEE, Wis. — One month after historic flooding devastated Milwaukee neighborhoods, Davia Washington is still living with the dangerous aftermath in her basement.
"It's kinda hurtful because I lived like this since the flood, and I've tried and tried and tried not to get anybody involved," Washington said.
Washington contacted our newsroom a week after the August 10 flooding, asking for help when her neighborhood was littered with damaged items and furniture at nearly every curb. While those curbs have since been cleaned up, the flooding impact continues to affect her daily life and could threaten her health.
This is what Washington's basement looked like the morning of August 10th.
Ten days later, we were there to see mold that started growing after the water receded.
"This is actively growing," Reporter Jenna Rae said.
"This is mold. I've been trying to call 211 for help to clean. I have a son here with chronic lung disease," Washington responded.
Washington said she had been texting her landlord for days, then asking for help.
"I've tried to explain this to her since August 10th, since the flood, she's basically left everything up to me to get done," Washington explained.
Watch: Milwaukee landlord fails inspection after tenant's repeated complaints about excessive mold
Text messages between Washington and her landlord, Maxine Elder, show Elder telling Washington to clean the basement with bleach, even sending her information about where to get a free cleaning kit to "bleach the walls down."
On August 21, Washington asked if anyone was coming to clean her basement. Elder responded, saying it was Washington's responsibility.
"I've tried and tried and tried not to get anybody involved, kinda giving her the benefit of the doubt like she was gonna come and do the repairs," Washington said. "I'm tired. I'm just fed up."
When TMJ4 returned Thursday, one month later, the mold was shocking to see.
Fuzzy spores and black mold-looking spots were covering almost every corner of Washington's basement.
"My worst fear is that it's gonna grow up into the living area and I literally, we're stuck, we don't have anywhere else to go," Washington added.
On September 9, Elder asked Washington to sign a mutual agreement to end the lease, saying she was "tired of this back and forth."
Washington then reported the mold and other issues to the Department of Neighborhood Services and Section 8, where she receives rental assistance.
After those agencies were contacted, Elder emailed Washington, saying she was sorry to hear about the mold and apologized that this wasn't reported to her sooner. That's despite messages that show Washington repeatedly asking for help, the month prior.
"She didn't know how her property looked until the heat came on her," Washington said.
Washington's home failed a Section 8 inspection on September 15. A report cites multiple issues, including excessive mold, and states Elder has 30 days to correct the problems or she won't receive payment on rent.
"This is our home right now. We don't have anywhere else to go. So we're being forced to live like this," Washington said.
TMJ4 called Elder Thursday, asking about the repairs and if she plans to return Washington's $3,000 security deposit. We were hung up on.
We called again and texted her, asking to hear her side of the story, and were told "no comment."
"I'm just tired of living like this. I'm tired, I'm fed up, I'm just overly stressed out with it," Washington added.
Washington is trying to move and find her family a new home. A GoFundMe has been set up to help with the transition, you can click here to donate.
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