Hidden post-disaster mold growth sparks health crises

Jonathan RM Charles, Tribune News Service

After returning from what felt like the best internship of her life, Danae Daniels was excited to unwind and settle into a new semester at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. But when she opened the door to her off-campus apartment, she was met with an overwhelming smell — and a devastating reality. “There was mold in my bedroom, on my bed, mold in my expensive purse,” Daniels said. “Mold in my closet, my bathroom — literally everywhere.”

During her absence, a series of severe natural disasters had swept through the Tallahassee area, leaving widespread damage. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, those storms in summer 2024 caused billions of dollars in destruction, displacing families and leaving businesses in ruin. It caused more than just property damage. While the community worked to recover, mold took hold in homes and other buildings across the city, turning the natural disaster into a prolonged crisis with public health implications.

“If any part of a home is exposed to flooding or leaks and is not fully dried within 24 to 48 hours, mold growth is almost certain,” said Parham Azimi, a research associate at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who studies the link between mold exposure and respiratory health, particularly in the wake of natural disasters. “After major storms, we often see spikes in respiratory illnesses, particularly in homes that were affected by flooding.”

A Foundation for Trouble: An estimated 47% of residential buildings in the United States contain mold or dampness. So even as the latest hurricane season winds down, the threat of mold-related health risks lingers. And with 29% of the nation’s population living in flood-prone coastal counties, the risk of exposure to mold spores and allergens that can trigger respiratory illnesses is immense, leaving some 95 million people vulnerable when extreme weather strikes. That doesn’t count people in inland areas that flood, like in the North Carolina and Tennessee mountains that experienced massive flooding from Hurricane Helene last year — or those whose homes were drenched from the Hill Country flooding in Texas this summer.

The health consequences of mold exposure range from mild allergic reactions to severe respiratory conditions. Common symptoms include congestion, asthma flare-ups, and skin irritation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prolonged exposure can lead to more serious complications, such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis — a rare lung inflammation — and mycotoxin-related illnesses, which can cause neurological damage, liver disease, and kidney dysfunction.

Now, a key federal program that helps repair housing after disasters and aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency are in question amid President Donald Trump’s cutbacks and policy changes. One of the greatest dangers of mold is that it often goes undetected for months or years, leaving people unknowingly exposed. Lauren Lowenstein in Houston knows that all too well. “For five years, my family’s health kept declining, and we had no idea why,” she said.

After conducting an Environmental Relative Moldiness Index test, Lowenstein said, she discovered that toxic mold spores had been growing inside the walls of her home due to excessive condensation in the HVAC system. She, her husband, and their two children vacated immediately and had to start over again. “The mold wasn’t visible, and we had no indication that it was growing,” Lowenstein said. Even when mold is detected, removing it is an expensive challenge. On average, mold remediation costs between $1,223 and $3,751, according to the home service clearinghouse Angi, but in severe cases, the price can reach $30,000 or more. Even with home insurance coverage for mold, people may bear some cost.

Daniels, for example, was forced to leave her Tallahassee apartment and get a hotel for a month while waiting to be moved into a newly renovated unit. She had to replace all her belongings. The cost of remediation remains out of reach for many households, Azimi said, and alternative yet affordable housing can be hard to find, which means continued mold exposure. “For low-income and marginalized communities, the risks are even greater,” Azimi said.

For those seeking government assistance, the wait times can be extensive, according to the Rev. Mac Legerton, founder of the Robeson County Disaster Survival and Resiliency School in North Carolina. “In many cases, families are left to choose between living in unsafe conditions or homelessness.” A 2019 review funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development of 88 disaster grants found that its Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program began distributing funds to applicants on average 20 months after the initial disaster, with disbursements taking two years or longer.

“When it comes to our disaster response system, mold remediation is one of the most neglected areas at the local, state, and national levels,” Legerton said. Legerton’s organization runs a “mold busters” program, a hands-on training and education initiative that helps give people in Robeson County the tools and knowledge they need to safely remove mold from homes, churches, and businesses following natural disasters. The program also provides free mold remediation services to vulnerable communities. He said it was created in response to the lack of timely aid in the central North Carolina community.

Waiting takes its toll: Tanya Locklear faced this reality after Hurricanes Matthew and Florence severely damaged her home in Pembroke, North Carolina, in 2016 and 2018, respectively, ultimately leaving it contaminated with mold. She applied for assistance through North Carolina’s ReBuild NC governmental programme in August 2021 but said she did not receive approval until November 2023. She said repairs finally began in February 2024 — more than two years after her application. It was only after local advocacy efforts — including pressure from community leaders and Legerton’s organisation — that her case moved forward, Locklear said.

However, she said, the initial delays had already taken a toll on her family’s health and well-being. While waiting for aid, Locklear and her children remained in the hazardous conditions of the moldy home. She said she and her family suffered health complications such as headaches, nose bleeds, and difficulty breathing. Even today, Locklear said, she has various respiratory issues, showing the long-term risks of remaining in mold-infested homes. Legerton, working with his group on the ground in North Carolina, believes that lawmakers and policymakers must focus on streamlining disaster relief programs to ensure effective and timely aid distribution for affected families and communities nationwide.

Government officials should also increase funding for mold remediation to help prevent displacement and long-term health consequences, and implement stronger building codes and flood-resistant housing designs to mitigate mold risk in disaster-prone areas, according to Legerton and public health experts. Without proactive policies, Azimi said, millions more will face prolonged exposure to unhealthy living conditions. “As climate change intensifies, hurricanes and severe storms will become more frequent and destructive, increasing the risk of mold-related illnesses,” Azimi said.