Board of Health Grants 30-Day Extension on Fraser Drive Housing Violations

EAST LONGMEADOW -- March 2, 2026, East Longmeadow Board of Health unanimously extended a housing-code correction deadline at 36 Fraser Drive to April 3, 2026. The two-member board, comprising Chair Christine Johnston and Dr. Katie Jobins, voted 2-0 at a March 2 Zoom hearing after property owner Alex Sarah said an ongoing family and probate court dispute has prevented him from accessing the home since March 2025. Health Inspector Timmy Spencer had cited three conditions, bathroom drywall damage, a water-stained ceiling fixture in the living room, and basement drywall deterioration from historic water damage, following a January 12 inspection; none was classified as immediately dangerous. A resident of the property, Kelsey Sarah, told the board she has experienced serious health effects she attributes to mold exposure, citing laboratory results showing ochratoxin A levels nearly four times the reference range and a physician diagnosis consistent with chronic inflammatory response syndrome, but Spencer clarified that state public health regulations do not govern indoor mold levels, only moisture-related housing-code conditions. A family court hearing on access to the property is scheduled for March 13, and the Health Department said it will schedule a follow-up hearing before the April 3 deadline to determine whether further action is needed.