Dream Homes Become Nightmares

With all the attention I give to homeless families, homeless children, etc., I know other people struggle mightily to survive their challenges. One shocking story caught my attention this week--the NYT article about houses contaminated by methamphetamine, with unsuspecting buyers finding out the hard way that their dream homes have serious problems.

Innocent buyers purchase houses previously used to produce meth. The drug permeates the walls, air ducts carpeting, etc., leaving a toxic mess, albeit invisible, for new owners. Vapors cause serious health problems. Decontaminating the house costs thousands, a cost typically borne by new owners, not to mention lost wages, and sometimes lost jobs, because of illness. The NYT article points out...

Federal data on meth lab seizures suggest that there are tens of thousands of contaminated residences in the United States. The victims include low-income elderly people whose homes are surreptitiously used by relatives or in-laws to make meth, and landlords whose tenants leave them with a toxic mess.

In addition to the logistical nightmare this story presented, I had to shake my head when I read the part about voluntary disclosure of previous meth activity in the house as part of the sales papers. "Did you use your house to make meth?" Uh, well, yeah. Or NO! (wink, wink).

This might be a good example of a need for consistent federal guidelines and more stringent testing, not relying on the word of a seller. Did someone invent a test kit for this? That's a stock I'd like to have!

While some readers may be quick to stomp on meth heads, I'll offer another perspective. With scarce jobs, especially in rural areas or for those with inadequate education and ability to get and keep a job, the illicit drug "industry" offers the lure of fast money. Meth is evidently an easy-to-produce substance. Not that I condone it, but I can understand the attraction to produce a lucrative cash product.

Without the means to test houses (and warehouses, storage sheds, etc.) before selling or renting them, the public is at great risk. And often those at greatest risk have the least ability to pay what it takes to rectify the situation--the toxic cleanup, health care costs, etc. So we all pay in one way or another.

Seems to me this illustrated the need for federal standards and for "big brother's" intervention. Creating meth detection kits would be a good stimulus project. Requiring testing of property before renting/selling would prevent dumping of toxic properties on innocent persons. Cleaning meth-contaminated locations would provide dangerous but worthwhile work. And tracking down meth producers would probably fill our prisons. Maybe one could share a cell with Bernie Madoff. Oh, that's right, he's at a country club prison.

photos by the author