Mold has been detected in eight apartments of the 64-unit Fox Run public housing project in Fraser.

Jim Sheehan, director of the Grand County Housing Authority, which includes Fox Run and its board of directors, said tests were conducted in every unit of the attainable housing project last week.

Some “upper units” of building 125, were found to have “fungal growth” in crawl spaces as well as a few middle units in building 200.

Koch Environmental Health of Morrison conducted tests on nine of the upper units, while another company, Prosystems Carpet Cleaning of Granby, inspected all remaining units. The Koch contract was for $3,800, and other units were inspected for $65 per unit.

The upper units found to have mold will be addressed “immediately,” Sheehan said. The Fox Run board plans to seek bids for contractors, he said.

Koch Environmental consulted on how to remediate the problem permanently, Sheehan said, which will involve limiting the moisture and humidity levels in crawl spaces by fixing the buildings’ persistent drainage issues.

The mold tests were most likely of no surprise to a few residents who have suspected bad air quality due to mold.

The problem came to the director’s attention two weeks ago when resident Mindy McCall’s apartment was rejected by Northwest Colorado Council of Government’s weatherization workers due to mold growth found in the crawl space.

Since that time, melting snow outside of her building has drained into the crawl space beneath her apartment, McCall reported. Photos show the entire space now has standing water, a breeding ground for more mold.

Another tenant, Rachel Cummings, has reported having mold growth around her windows, which she has been treating with a spray bottle of chlorine bleach. Major ceiling leaks and mold have been a problem since she moved in last July, the tenant said.

” Tonya Bina can be reached at 887-3334 ext. 19603 or e-mail tbina@grandcountynews.com.