Pittsburg homeowner angry new house has mold from use as pot grow

A new East Bay homeowner was facing serious problems Tuesday night after finding a mold infestation connected to the home previously being used for a marijuana growing operation.

While the Pittsburg homeowner was upset that he wasn’t informed of the pot operation at the house, damage to the home caused by the grow has become a bigger concern.

The home across from Delta View Elementary School purchased by Stephen Tucker two months ago was supposed to be the culmination of the American dream. Instead, it has turned into a buyers' nightmare.

Tucker recently learned that while the house sat vacant for years, someone broke in and set up a marijuana growing operation.

"I have to say that there's been a great cover up in here," said Tucker. "They literally came in, cleaned the house so that nobody would suspect anything ever had happened. And we were told we could move right into the house."

Carpet padding pulled from the home reveals the root of the problem: water damage caused by the grow operation led to mold.

The mold is serious enough that Tucker's daughter and even his real estate agent's son have gotten sick from it.

"It has triggered his asthma even more and he has been sick a lot," said Tucker.

Tucker and his real estate agent Anita Osmakiewicz said the listing agent didn't disclose the grow operation. Neither did the previous owner -- Bank of America -- which, according to Tucker, now carries his loan.

"They should have disclosed it to us," said Osamakiewicz. "Everybody should have disclosed it to us. I know my clients would have never bought this property."

Dale Seiber of Bay Area Environmental Inspections told KTVU he easily found the mold and that is should have been disclosed prior to the sale.

A Bank of America employee told KTVU that a representative will research the matter. KTVU was also given copy of an email from the listing agent saying he would help fix everything.

Tucker said that sentiment changed once he reported finding the mold.