Chinese Drywall Victims Hold Rally in Washington, DC

Washington, DCHomeowners who have been living with Chinese drywall have decided to air their frustrations in the nation's capital by holding a rally recently in front of the Senate, WVEC.com reports.

The homeowners are reportedly protesting the slow pace of lawmakers in responding to their concerns about the building material, which is toxic, the news provider said. Many residents in the nearby area have claimed that the drywall has made them sick and caused damage to their homes' wiring, according to the news provider.

In April, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued guidelines on fixing homes with the issue, but the news source said homeowners and builders cannot receive the necessary loans or grants to make the repairs.

"The people who have had to move out are now paying the mortgage on their corroded home as well as rent on the new home, and it's creating a hardship for those people," realtor Robert Gurnee told the news source.

According to the news provider, approximately 350 homes in Virginia were constructed using the defective drywall.

The CPSC has received approximately 3,731 reports from residents in 40 states and Washington, DC "who believe their health symptoms or the corrosion of certain metal components in their homes are related to problem drywall," according to the commission's Web site.