GROW-OP COVERAGE APPLAUDED BY READER

Grow-ops and the consuming public truly are at odds and I wanted to
applaud The Windsor Star's Home Section for publishing Joe
Montaleone's insights into house buying on Oct. 20.

Star Justice Reporter Sarah Sacheli wrote a news piece on a judge
handing out a harsh sentence to a Woodbridge, Ont., woman who used a
Windsor home as a marijuana grow house, just days after Montaleone's
insights were published. Sacheli's news piece on Oct. 23, makes it
clear society is no longer going to sit idly by and watch our
precious homes and neighbourhood's assets destroyed by the criminally
sophisticated; we have grown uneasy with grow-ops.

Montaleone pointed out in his real estate piece that homes that have
been utilized as grow-ops have usually had significant changes made
to the houses' infrastructures, which generally means the houses
become mouldy and uninhabitable for future residents because of the
need to keep the plants drenched with water. He also pointed out that
these houses can be found in any area of the city. Thus, these houses
are not necessarily very good buys despite whatever sale prices are
advertised depending upon what type of "reconditioning" is required
to bring the buildings back "up to code."

I applaud The Windsor Star and its efforts through their vigilance in
bringing about a greater level of consumer awareness, particularly
when it involves the purchasing of a "big ticket" item such as a home
and the subsequent protection of that purchase through insurance.

James D. Godfrey

Amherstburg