Hillsborough County commissioners want to use affordable housing funds to help four families stuck paying mortgages on homes in one neighborhood left worthless by the presence of toxic Chinese drywall.
The plight of the families came to light through a Tampa Bay Times report that showed how 12 families, most living in public housing, unknowingly bought homes made with toxic Chinese drywall in 2008 through a Housing Authority home ownership program.
The drywall releases sulfurous fumes that corrode copper wiring and coils and damage electrical wiring. It has also been known to cause nosebleeds, rashes, headaches and breathing difficulties.
After the problem came to light, there was little help for the families.
