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Tribal Issues: Hud Mold Study
HUD Study on Black Mold Emphasizes Need for Increased Funding, NAIHC Says
WASHINGTON, DC—Black mold can be found in 15% of tribal homes, reported a new study by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Mold and Moisture Problems in Native American Housing on Tribal Lands: A Report to Congress. The study, which was mandated by law, stated that approximately $91 million would have to go towards the remediation of mold and moisture problems, which would include training and housing maintenance. The National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) hopes the study will lead to new legislation and increased funding to address tribes’ mold issues.
Gary L. Gordon, NAIHC’s Executive Director, said, “Indian country has waited a long time for some attention to be drawn to mold in our homes. This study documents the problem that many tribes have already experienced, tribes such as Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and Blackfeet. Although HUD allows funding for its lead paint program to be used for mold damage, more funding must be set aside, because the study clearly states that it may cost $25,000 per unit to address the mold. NAIHC already estimates $1 billion is needed to relieve the housing crisis, now we have almost another $100 million to add onto that.”
The November 2002 reauthorization of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) required a study on black mold be conducted within six months to assess the problem. The result was a 101-page report, examining all types of mold and its presence in tribal homes. Although black mold has been described as a toxic threat and has spurred litigation, there is insufficient scientific evidence to confirm its health dangers, although prior research indicates mold can affect allergies and asthma.
Mold and moisture—common accompaniments of poor housing—may produce odors and be “unsightly” and lead to weakening and degrading structures in a low-quality home.
Mold Caused By Design, Construction and Maintenance Issues
According to the study, mold and moisture problems can be caused by design or construction issues, occupant practices involving maintenance on smaller household items, and a lack of overall housing maintenance. Low-income and overcrowded households also experience greater incidences of moisture problems.
Certain housing conditions contribute to such problems, such as: leaking waste lines, inadequate site drainage, plumbing leaks, bathroom moisture and overflows, foundation leaks where rain or snow may enter and condensation, especially in cold areas. Mold growth, encouraged by excess moisture, is perpetuated by the fact many reservations are located in areas that are flood prone, have high precipitation, or in areas with cool temperatures due to being located in the northern part of the country.
Although Native Americans have the highest percentage of households without adequate complete plumbing facilities (12%) and kitchen facilities (11%), the study offers a caveat, “There are currently no data or reports…to indicate whether tribal lands experience a higher incidence of mold problems than the rest of the nation.”
“As tribal homes age, the more likely there is serious wear and tear. Housing components like furnaces and roofs are not meant to last forever, meaning thousands of homes are long overdue for serious maintenance or repairs,” said Gordon.
Mold in Tribal Homes--Further Training Needed
Site visits revealed that some residents and tribally designated housing entities (TDHE) staff had little knowledge of how to deal with the issue. The report recommended further training, technical assistance and other resources to encourage tribal housing staff and residents to help prevent or eradicate mold problems. NAIHC will continue to advocate for increased funding and work to resolve the mold problems in Indian country.
Nonetheless, potential resolutions to mold and moisture concerns are “enormously complex,” said HUD’s Office of Native American Programs (ONAP) Deputy Assistant Secretary Rodger J. Boyd in a letter to members of Congress. Boyd warned that there are “broad policy concerns” in deciding how to address the problem.
“The contents of this report are the views of the contractor and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Housing and Urban Development,” Boyd’s letter said. The contractor, Magna Systems, Inc., prepared the study on behalf of ONAP. The letter also stated that HUD will produce its own recommendations at a later date.
The study suggested that tribes and TDHEs work with federal agencies to resolve mold issues: Indian Health Service, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency were listed as potential collaborators. Although, in a statement made to NAIHC, Boyd reminded tribes and TDHEs that mold remediation is an eligible affordable housing activity under NAHASDA’s Indian Housing Block Grant Program.
“Tribes and TDHEs are so underfunded now, that to direct monies to mold remediation would take money away from providing desperately additional affordable housing,” said Gordon.
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