Meth home owners
settle with Freddie Mac
Gail Whitsett
pushes for protections
A family that
bought a foreclosed home in
Klamath Falls and later found
out it contained toxic chemicals
from methamphetamine production
reached a settlement with
Freddie Mac this week.
Members of the Hankins
family, which had become ill off
and on from living in the home,
now live outside Chiloquin in
another house they will soon
own. Though unable to provide
details, Jonathan Hankins said
in a phone interview he was
happy with the settlement.
“After speaking to the Hankinses
and hearing their concerns first
hand, we were able to work
closely together and come to a
mutually agreeable resolution,”
said Freddie Mac public
relations representative Brad
German. “We will continue to
review and update our policies
to protect our buyers.”
Hankins thanked Freddie Mac,
in a statement, for working
with the family “in good
faith to resolve a situation
where neither party was at
fault.”
“Beth and I also want to
express our gratitude to
everyone who reached out to
us for their support and
concern and to assure them
that we will remain tireless
advocates for educating
families in the housing
market about the potential
hazards of methamphetamine
contamination,” the
statement read.
Since their story broke last
fall, the family has
appeared on such national
news outlets as “Anderson
Live” with Anderson Cooper,
“20/20,” “World News with
Diane Sawyer,” as well as
Yahoo News and National
Public Radio.
Becoming advocates
for change
Rather than simply worrying
about their own situation,
the Hankins family has
worked on petitions and
helped raise awareness
through the website Change.org.
Jonathan Hankins said he
plans to ask petitioners to
continue their support as
legislation in the Oregon
House of Representatives
seeks to prevent future
homebuyers from landing in
the same situation.
Whitsett champions
meth awareness bill
House Bill 3499 received its
first reading on the House
floor April 9 and was
assigned to the rules
committee this week, said
first-term State Rep. Gail
Whitsett, R-Klamath Falls.
Turned in as a priority bill
from Whitsett to ensure it
received a reading and a
chance at passage, HB3499
would require a written
notice on foreclosed and
repossessed homes if they
have not been tested for
methamphetamine chemicals.
Yet because the majority of
such homes are federally
held, Whitsett said she
discovered that requiring
testing would not be a legal
option; still, buyers need
to be cautious and consider
the risks.
“It’s important for people
to know what they’re buying
and it’s something I would
want to know. It’s a public
safety issue,” said
Whitsett, who added that the
Oregon Association of
Realtors has told her it
does not have a problem with
the bill.
For those able to get into a
home they are interested in
buying, Whitsett recommends
testing for methamphetamine
production themselves.
For those who cannot, she
recommends contacting the
press, the police or
neighbors to see what is
known about the home and who
has lived there prior.
“Jonathan said he’d never
considered (the possibility
of meth chemicals) and
neither would I,” Whitsett
said.
Pressing for passage
of HB3499
Whitsett and the Hankins
family encourage concerned
citizens to contact the
House Rules Committee in
support of House Bill 3499
receiving a hearing.
Testimony can be emailed to
committee assistant Zoe
Larmer at zoe.larmer@state.or.us and
her phone number is
503-986-1527.
Although the Rules Committee
allows bills to be
introduced throughout the
rest of the legislative
session, Whitsett urges
public support because many
bills will never see the
light of day, she said.
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