TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — After returning from the best internship of her life, Danae Daniels wanted to relax and start the new semester at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. But when she opened the door to her off-campus apartment, she was greeted by an unbearable smell and a devastating reality.
“There was mold in my bedroom, on my bed and in my most expensive purse,” Daniels said. “There’s mold in closets, bathrooms, literally everywhere.”
During his absence, a series of serious natural disasters struck the Tallahassee area, causing widespread damage. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, the summer storms of 2024 caused the following damage: billions of dollarsIt has forced many families to relocate and left countless businesses in ruins.
But the damage was not only material. As the community worked to recover, mold emerged in homes and buildings across the city, turning a natural disaster into a long-term crisis with public health implications.
“If any part of your home is exposed to flooding or water leaks and is not completely dried within 24 to 48 hours, mold is almost certain to develop,” he explained. Parham Azimiis a researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health who studies the relationship between mold exposure and respiratory health, especially during natural disasters.
“After a major storm, we often see an increase in respiratory illnesses, especially in flooded homes,” he explained.
the basis of the problem
It is estimated 47% of residential buildings American products tend to be damp or moldy. So even though the last hurricane season is almost over, health problems associated with mold still exist.
like 29% of population Many of the country’s residents live in flood-prone coastal counties, which puts them at significantly higher risk of exposure to mold spores and allergens that can cause respiratory illness. This leaves approximately 95 million people vulnerable to extreme weather events.
These figures do not include people living in flood-affected inland areas, such as the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee, which experienced severe flooding after Hurricane Helen last year, or people whose homes were flooded by heavy rains last year. Texas Mountain Country This summer.
Health effects can range from mild allergic reactions to serious respiratory problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), common symptoms include: Nasal congestion, asthma attacks, and skin irritation.
Long-term exposure can cause more serious complications, including: hypersensitivity pneumonitis —rare inflammation of the lungs—and Diseases caused by mycotoxinsIt can affect the nervous system, liver, and kidneys.
Now, with President Donald Trump’s cuts and policy changes. I doubt it continuity of what matters federal program In addition to helping repair homes damaged by natural disasters, Support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
invisible enemy
One of the biggest dangers of mold is that it often goes unnoticed for months or years and people are exposed to it without realizing it.
Houston resident Lauren Lowenstein knows this all too well. “Over the course of five years, my family’s health deteriorated and we had no idea why,” she said.
After conducting the test Environmental Relative Fungal IndexLowenstein discovered that toxic mold spores were growing inside the walls of the home due to excessive condensation from the air conditioning system. She, her husband, and their two children had to immediately leave home and start over.
“There was no visible mold and no signs of growth,” he said.
Moreover, even if mold is found, removing it is a costly task. On average, mold removal costs are $1.222 y $3.751According to home services platform Angi. However, in severe cases the price can exceed $30,000. People who have insurance that covers mold damage often have to bear a portion of the cost.
For example, Daniels had to leave her apartment in Tallahassee and stay in a hotel for a month while she waited to move into a renovated apartment. Plus, he had to replace all of his belongings.
The cost of successful removal is unaffordable for many families, and finding affordable replacement housing can also be difficult, Azimi said. These challenges mean continued exposure to mold.
“For low-income and marginalized communities, the risks are much greater,” Azimi said.
Slow and limited support
For people seeking government help, wait times can be quite long, said founder Pastor Mac Legerton. Disaster Survival and Resilience SchoolFrom Robeson County, North Carolina. “In many cases, families are forced to choose between living in unsafe conditions or becoming homeless,” he lamented.
no way Review conducted in 2019 The Department of Housing and Urban Development said it has funded 88 disaster grants and that the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program has begun distributing the requested funds. Average 20 months After the initial disaster. In most cases, payments took more than two years.
“Mold remediation is one of the most underserved areas of the disaster response system locally, stately and nationally,” Legerton said.
Legerton’s organization runs a program called “Mold Tracker,” a hands-on training and education initiative that provides people in Robeson County with the tools and knowledge they need to safely remove mold from homes, churches and businesses after a natural disaster.
The program also provides free mold remediation services to vulnerable communities. He explained that it was created in response to a lack of timely help in the central North Carolina region.
Waiting takes its toll
Tanya Locklear experienced this after Hurricanes Matthew and Florence caused significant damage to her home in Pembroke, North Carolina, in 2016 and 2018, respectively.
Eventually their home became contaminated with mold.
I applied for assistance through a state program. NC Rebuild But true to his word, his request was not approved until November 2023. Repair work began in February 2024, more than two years after the application was submitted.
Locklear argued that his case only advanced after efforts by local advocates, including pressure from community leaders and Legerton organizations.
But the initial delay has already had an impact on the health and well-being of his family. While waiting for help, Locklear and her children continued to live in unsanitary conditions due to mold. She said they all suffered from headaches, nosebleeds and difficulty breathing.
Locklear said she still suffers from respiratory problems today, proving the long-term harm of living in a mold-infested home.
Legerton, whose team is working directly with those affected in North Carolina, argues that lawmakers and officials should focus on streamlining disaster relief programs so that assistance can be provided effectively and quickly to affected families and communities across the country.
According to Legerton and other public health experts, government officials should increase funding for mold removal and remediation to keep people from having to travel and prevent long-term health problems.
Likewise, there is a need to apply more stringent building standards and promote flood-resistant home design to reduce the risk of mold growth in disaster-prone areas.
Without preventive policies, millions of people could be exposed to unhealthy living conditions for much longer, Azimi said.
“As climate change intensifies, hurricanes and strong storms will become more frequent and destructive, increasing the risk of mold-related diseases,” Azimi said.
