Urgent: Help a Single Mom and Her Kids Escape a Toxic, Unliv

Urgent: Help a Single Mom and Her Kids Escape a Toxic, Unlivable Home

Hi, I'm Vali, and I'm one of many friends who are part of a group of women who meet every week with Leslie as she leads a Bible study. She is a devoted single mother of three special needs children and is in a desperate fight for her family’s health and safety after purchasing her dream home in June 2023. Leslie Montgomery is an accomplished author and used her entire savings and book royalties to buy a new home from Lennar Corporation, the nation’s largest homebuilder. But instead of a sanctuary, the home has become a health hazard, leaving the family in crisis.

Since moving in, the Montgomery family has faced severe illnesses caused by shocking construction defects and environmental hazards. One of Leslie’s children has been unable to attend school for over four months under doctor’s orders, requiring continuous medical care due to exposure to harmful contaminants.

An independent environmental analysis and her son’s doctor have deemed the home completely unlivable, urging the family to vacate immediately for their safety. As a result, they are now living in a hotel while still battling Lennar Corporation for accountability. This is not financially sustainable. If support is not raised, they will have to move back into the home that has made them ill.

What the Experts Found

• Foundation defects and drainage issues.

• Defective and Inadequate HVAC systems, contaminated ductwork, and improper installation causing dangerously high levels of carbon dioxide throughout the home, insufficient and contaminated air quality, and mold and debris being blown throughout.

• Mold growth throughout the entire home, fueled by leaks from upside-down window installations and construction inadequacies.

• Debris and contamination in air supply and return vents.

• Cracks in foundation and insufficient barrier throughout.

Doctors have confirmed the family’s exposure to mold, debris, and dangerous carbon dioxide levels caused by these defects in their bodies. Even visitors to the home have reported becoming ill.

A Plea for Help

Leslie has reached out to Congressman Russ Fulcher and Vice President Mike Pence for assistance but has yet to hear back. Meanwhile, Lennar Corporation has acknowledged responsibility but has delayed necessary repairs and dismissed her urgent concerns.

Adding to the challenge, Leslie has struggled to find legal representation because the case requires both a contract lawyer and a personal injury attorney—a rare combination. Compounding the injustice, her homeowner’s insurance won’t cover these damages, as they are unrelated to leaks or weather.

“Our Home Has Become a Cancer to Us”

Leslie, the author of The Faith of Mike Pence among other books, reflects on the heartbreaking irony of her situation: “It was the royalties from my book about Vice President Pence that made this home possible. I thought it would be a refuge for my children, but instead, it’s a nightmare that has made us sick and robbed us of stability and hope.”

How You Can Help

Your support is urgently needed to help this family cover hotel costs, and mounting medical bills, and help get their home livable, and legal expenses as they fight for justice. Currently, Leslie is looking for a temporary rental or Airbnb for her and her three children to reside in until her home is livable again. She cannot afford to pay a mortgage payment on a home she can’t live in and for a rental. We need to help her get her home livable again since Lennar Corp isn’t stepping up to the plate. This family is fighting for their health, their home, and their future, and they cannot do it alone.

Every dollar you donate will bring them closer to safety, accountability, and a resolution to this nightmare. Please donate today and share their story. Together, we can ensure no family endures this kind of suffering again.

If you want to send money directly to Leslie, please send it to:

P.O. Box 62

Middleton, ID 83644

Thanks!

Vali and Friends

UPDATE: Vice President Pence reached out to Leslie and provided support. He also reached out to Attorney General Raul Labrador's office on her behalf. She and her children, Paul, Isabella, and Elijah, are living in an Airbnb in Star. Thank you for your support.