Saturday, December 01, 2007

Beware Of Homes Used As Indoor Pot Farms & Meth Labs

Some time ago, the San Francisco Chronicle ran two stories describing the potential problems that may arise from the use of homes / apartments by its occupants as marijuana grow houses and methamphetamine labs.

Whether it's mold, corroded pipes, ripped out interior walls, substandard / illegal alterations to the electrical system that create fire hazards, the production and dumping of toxic waste, toxic vapors that penetrate drywall, electrical conduits, wood and flooring, decontamination issues, financial responsibility for the clean-up, legal liability issues, and the "invisible legacy" that's left in the home for future occupants, the stories describe the health, safety, legal and financial concerns that may be of interest to landlords, property managers, current homeowners, and prospective homebuyers, not to mention the mortgage lenders whose loans are secured by affected homes, and the neighbors living near those homes and apartments used as indoor pot farms and meth labs.

In one account, a fire department discovered a meth lab in one unit of an apartment building when responding to a kitchen fire. Reportedly, the entire building had to be evacuated of its tenants and closed down for "clean up" -- which took about six months. For more, see:

Go here for some methamphetamine information resources.

Go here and go here for other posts on home based meth labs. meth lab zeta pot grow ops alpha