TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – After returning from what she thought was the best internship of her life, Danae Daniels was glad to relax and start a new semester at Florida A&M University. But when she opened the door to her off-campus apartment, she was greeted by an overwhelming smell—and a devastating reality.
“There was mold in my bedroom, on my bed, in my expensive purse,” Daniels said. “There’s mold in my closet, in the bathroom, literally everywhere.”
During her absence, a series of severe natural disasters struck the Tallahassee area, causing extensive damage. According to the National Center for Environmental Information, these storms in the summer of 2024 caused billions of dollars in destruction, displacement of families and destruction of businesses.
This caused more than just material damage. As the community worked to rebuild, mold took hold in homes and other buildings throughout the city, turning the disaster into a protracted crisis with public health implications.
“If any part of the home is exposed to flooding or leaks and is not completely dry within 24 to 48 hours, mold growth is almost inevitable,” he said. Parham AzimiResearch Fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health T.C. Chan, who studies the relationship between mold exposure and respiratory health, especially after natural disasters. “After major hurricanes, we often see an uptick in respiratory illnesses, especially in homes affected by flooding.”
Reason for Trouble
Estimated 47% residential buildings in the USA contain mold or dampness. So even as the latest hurricane season comes to an end, the threat of mold-related health risks remains.
And with 29% of the country's population In flood-prone coastal counties, the risk of exposure to mold spores and allergens that can cause respiratory illness is enormous, leaving about 95 million people vulnerable when extreme weather strikes. This doesn't include people in inland areas that experience flooding, such as the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee, which experienced severe flooding due to Hurricane Helen last year – or those whose houses were flooded Flooding in the Hill Country of Texas this summer.
The health effects of mold exposure range from mild allergic reactions to severe respiratory illnesses. Common symptoms include nasal congestion, asthma exacerbations and skin irritation.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Long-term exposure may lead to more serious complications such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis – rare pneumonia – and mycotoxin-related diseaseswhich can cause neurological damage, liver disease and kidney dysfunction.
Now the key federal program which helps restore housing after natural disasters and assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency are questionable amid cuts and policy changes by President Donald Trump.
One of the greatest dangers of mold is that it often goes undetected for months or years, leaving people unknowingly exposed.
Lauren Lowenstein of Houston knows this all too well. “For five years, my family’s health continued to deteriorate and we had no idea why,” she said.
After Relative environmental moldiness index Lowenstein said she discovered that toxic mold spores were growing inside the walls of her home due to excessive condensation in the HVAC system. She, her husband and two children immediately left the house and had to start all over again.
“There was no mold visible and we had no indication that it was growing,” Lowenstein said.
Even if mold is found, removing it is an expensive task. On average, mold remediation costs from 1223 to 3751 US dollarsBut in severe cases, the price can reach $30,000 or more, according to home service clearinghouse Angi. Even with home mold insurance, people may still incur some costs.
Daniels, for example, was forced to leave her Tallahassee apartment and stay in a hotel for a month while she waited to move into a newly renovated apartment. She had to replace all her belongings.
Remediation costs remain unaffordable for many households, and alternative but affordable housing can be difficult to find, meaning ongoing exposure to mold, Azimi said.
“For low-income and marginalized communities, the risks are even greater,” Azimi said.
For those seeking government assistance, wait times can be long, said the Rev. Mac Legerton, the organization's founder. Robeson County School of Survival and Disaster Resilience in North Carolina. “In many cases, families must choose between living in unsafe conditions or becoming homeless.”
A 2019 Review 88 Disaster Grants Funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Found that the Community Development Block Disaster Recovery Program has begun distributing funds to applicants on average 20 months after the initial disaster, with payments 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,” Ledgerton said.
Legerton's organization operates the Mold Remediation Program, a hands-on training and educational initiative that helps give people in Robeson County the tools and knowledge needed to safely remove mold from homes, churches and businesses after 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 assistance to the people of central North Carolina.
The 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 infested with mold.
She applied for assistance through North Carolina. Restore North Carolina She said renovations 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 the Legerton organization, that her cause moved forward, Locklear said.
However, she says the initial delays have already taken a toll on her family's health and well-being. While waiting for help, Locklear and her children remained in the dangerous conditions of the moldy home. She said she and her family had health problems such as headaches, nosebleeds and difficulty breathing.
Even today, Locklear said she has various breathing problems, highlighting the long-term risks of living in mold-infested homes.
Legerton, who works with his team on the ground in North Carolina, believes lawmakers and policymakers should focus on streamlining disaster relief programs to ensure aid is distributed efficiently and in a timely manner to affected families and communities across the country.
Government officials should also increase funding for mold remediation to help prevent displacement and long-term health impacts, as well as implement stricter building codes and develop flood-resistant housing designs to reduce the risk of mold in disaster-prone areas, Legerton and public health experts said. Without proactive policies, Azimi said, millions more people will face long-term 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.
