Mold poses significant problems when it develops indoors. Aside from being unsightly, mold can cause structural damage to buildings as well as damage to the health of its tenants. There are multiple cases where NYCHA has claimed to remediate mold without combating the root of the growth. Simply replacing wallboards, painting over mold, or bleaching the walls is not enough to stop mold. These superficial fixes ignore the root of the growth- moisture. If nothing is done to fix the air quality or water leaks creating the moisture for the mold to grow, the problem will reoccur.
Blanca Ramos, a tenant of Jacob Riis houses in the East Village, recalls the day her kitchen cabinet full of dishes fell from her wall. A water leak had caused the wall to become so infested with black mold that it could not support the cabinet. Weeks prior, Ramos had called NYCHA with the concern of a leak behind her wall. A worker checked the wall, claimed there was no leak, and left. Soon after, sparks began shooting from one of her electrical outlets. She contacted FDNY, who cut the power and removed the outlet. The lack of agency from the NYCHA allowed the mold to spread. The root of the problem was never investigated, and Ramos was forced to pay the price. Luckily, nobody was hurt when the cabinet fell, but people are not always so lucky. When mold grows in structurally significant areas, or areas supporting things like ceiling fans, people can be seriously physically injured. Internally, the damage is being done long before a collapse.
NYC residents often report being unable to breathe in their own homes. The industrially polluted air outside is easier to breathe than the air in these mold infested apartments. Ayliphelet “Shaly” Ramirez explains that she tries her hardest to keep her 9 and 13 year old daughters out of the house. Shaly claims she reported an odor coming from a closet in their house, to which the NYCHA denied was a serious problem. After numerous cosmetic and surface level fixes, NYCHA finally opened up her wall and discovered a leak. However, the problem was left unsolved. Shaley was left with large holes in her wall, left by workers. She tries to cover the holes with trash bags, but the smell of mold seeps out and poisons her family’s lungs. Both of her children suffer from severe asthma and have been hospitalized on multiple occasions. Her work order tickets have remained open and unfinished by NYCHA, and her husband attempts to contact the housing office more than twice a week to no avail.
Untreated Damage in Shaly Ramirezes’ Apartment
This condition of living is unacceptable and unfair. Tenants have a right to be able to breathe the air in their apartments. If you suspect or are dealing with mold growth in your home, hire a professional to take care of it. Mold testing, assessments, and mold treatment are available through environmental consulting companies. Taking care of the problem early is the key to protecting your health and your home’s structure. Don’t let NYCHA put a band-aid over serious issues, get a consultation today!
Call Lead and Mold Detectives today, to have your apartment remediated properly by a licensed Lead Remediation Firm. Don’t risk your families health.
Sources:
NRDC. “Inside NYC’s Public Housing: Mold and Neglect Are a Dangerous Combo.” NRDC,
25 June 2018, https://www.nrdc.org/stories/inside-nycs-public-housing-mold-and-
THE CITY. “NYCHA to Pay $3 Million to Settle Claims Over Bronx Woman’s Moldy Home.”
The City, 22 Apr. 2024, https://www.thecity.nyc/2024/04/22/nycha-baez-mold-damage-