Landlord Agrees to Pay $550,000 to Tenant to Settle Calif. Case

SANTA ANA, Calif. - An Orange County, Calif., landlord agreed in January to pay $550,000 to settle claims by former tenant Niko Black that she was permanently injured by exposure to mold in her apartment. Black v. South Warner Business Center, et al., No. 02-CC-13994 (Calif. Super., Orange Cty.).

Black complained that a lack of proper maintenance led to water damage and mold intrusion in her Huntington Beach, Calif., home. Black said she moved into the home in September 1999, and began to experience chronic water intrusion and septic leaks soon after. Black cited housing code violations that were the …