The mold epidemic America won't face
Chronic mold has become an epidemic as severe as lead paint. It spreads through the walls and floorboards of older homes, sickens the families who breathe it, and is left untouched by the landlords who profit and the governments that look away.
The shape of the crisis
See the data →Aging stock is the substrate for chronic mold.
Decades after lead paint was banned in 1978.
Studies show poorer maintenance records.
Roughly half borne by public insurance.
The wall, the door, the floor — everything is full of mold.
— A mother of an infant hospitalized three times
Inside the investigation
Read all chapters →A child who has never breathed clean air
In his nine months of life, an infant has been to the emergency room three times. The mold in the floorboards and walls of his apartment has been his companion since birth.
Read →Chapter 02An epidemic as severe as lead paint
Housing conditions have long driven this country's health crises. In 1978, the federal government banned lead-based paint. Mold has yet to receive anywhere close to the same attention.
Read →Chapter 03The corporate landlords who look away
As corporate landlords buy up rental housing, research shows they have poorer maintenance records. In cities where most residents rent and half the housing predates 1940, the result is a perfect storm.
Read →Chapter 04The city that fails to follow through
When landlords leave tenants in unsafe conditions, the city's housing code enforcement agency is the government's response. Tenants and lawyers describe an agency that is woefully understaffed and rarely returns.
Read →Living with mold? Tell us.
Your story helps document a crisis that landlords and city agencies would rather keep invisible. Share what you're breathing.