Mother’s housing transfer request denied, blames public housing for breathing problems

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – A Chattanooga mother says her child is sick and feeling the effects of second-hand smoke in public housing. Those areas recently went smoke-free.

The mother says after her daughter’s doctor increased the dosage of her child’s medicine as her condition got worst.

She says the joy of her daughter’s arrival soon turned into countless doctors appointments.

A lot of sleepless nights led a Chattanooga mother to want to share her story.

She says she is speaking up for those who might be afraid to speak against public housing or those who feel they don’t have a voice.

She says she has been having issues since December and requested to be transferred to another place; however, she says that transfer was denied and they kept her deposit.

Now she struggles to give her daughter five breathing treatments a day because her doctor says she shows signs of second-hand smoke inhalation when this mother says … she doesn’t smoke.

“I don’t feel like what I’m asking for is outrageous what I’m asking for is very simple… move me.”

She wants to stay anonymous, but she wanted other parents to be warned.

She also wants the Chattanooga Housing authority to hear her plea.

“How can you live and nine-month-old infant suffer due to this and I’m coming to you directly letting you know ‘hey my child is suffering from this’ and you keep me in this same exact house and I requested a transfer in December when she was not even six weeks old.”

She says she received a voicemail with their verdict after they looked into her problem.

“We did not find any evidence of smoke whatsoever. And in talking to our compliance department we are not authorized to do a transfer based on smoke when we have the smoke-free property.”

However, her request was put int before the public housing property became smoke-free.

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department says third-hand exposure has its risks… and that risk is greater now with new research.

The representative for the department says, “There also at greater risk because depending on their size and their development. They may be putting things in their mouth crawling on the carpet, especially for the third-hand exposure, they tend to ingest that as well as in inhale it.”

They may be putting things in their mouth crawling on the carpet, especially for the third-hand exposure, they tend to ingest that as well as in inhale it.”

The Chattanooga mother says, “I jump up out of my sleep every so often to check on my baby to make sure she’s breathing.”

She says she is pleading with the Chattanooga Housing Authority to move her so that her child “does not have to suffer.”

She says then she will be ok.

The health department also says … There is no safe level of tobacco exposure for children or adults.

The health department also says there is no safe level of tobacco exposure for children or adults. They have various resources for anyone trying to smoke.

The Chattanooga Housing Authority says they will be contacting the management company to follow up on this report and ensure that HUD public housing regulations are being followed in this area.

We have followed up with various questions as well since the company that owns the property could not be reached.