A senior living facility company in California, formerly known as Covia Communities and now operating under the name Front Porch, will pay more than a million dollars to resolve allegations of asbestos violations. The settlement of $1,125,000 was announced by the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office in conjunction with four other county DA offices, including those from Monterey, Alameda, San Francisco, and Sonoma counties.
According to the Santa Clara County DA's office, the accusations state that between 2014 and 2022, the company failed to obtain the proper building permits and neglected to conduct required asbestos testing before renovations at their facilities. The three impacted locations in Santa Clara County were Los Gatos Meadows, El Sombroso Oaks, and Webster House in Palo Alto.
Asbestos, a known health hazard, is linked to a range of respiratory illnesses, which includes lung cancer and mesothelioma. "These laws exist because asbestos exposure can be deadly," District Attorney Jeff Rosen remarked via the Office of the District Attorney release, emphasizing the sustained risk to senior citizens, staff, and residents. Rosen's office has committed to prosecuting companies compromising the community's well-being through such transgressions.
Under the terms of the agreement, Front Porch will pay out $700,000 in civil penalties and $162,500 for educational funding dedicated to the enlightenment of college students in Monterey Bay on issues of air pollution and air quality. The importance of these issues cannot be overstated. In addition, they will cover $262,500 of the investigation's costs. While Front Porch has cooperated with the investigation, there have been no claims of injury stemming from their alleged misconduct.
