Joanna Hayes, a 42-year-old mother, and her two-year-old daughter are experiencing severe health problems linked to mold in their apartment. The family has suffered painful, bloody, blistering skin rashes, prompting doctors to recommend the family leave the property. The situation has changed drastically. Or they’ve had to start sleeping in their car because the conditions where they are living just are not safe anymore.
The mold issue started soon after Hayes and her daughter settled into the community housing unit last June. Within months, the property was completely coated in black spores, leading Hayes to begin taking matters into her own hands. As the cold winter weather set in, her mold problem escalated dangerously.
“I initially treated it myself but the mold got worse and worse the colder it got to the point where the wallpaper was falling off,” said Hayes. One day she was cooking dinner and then all of the sudden couldn’t catch her breath. That day opened their eyes — and ours — to how inhumane the conditions were that they were forced to live in.
Though Hayes has her own health challenges. In the interim, her daughter has suffered a host of issues from mold exposure. That same toddler now needs an inhaler and has grown painful large rashes all over her face. Hayes 𝑓𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒.jpeg Pediatrician Nicole Hayes shared her perspective, “She shouldn’t be needing an inhaler at two, she’s just tired.” As a result, the mother told us, they have both been fighting perpetual chest infections. Moreover, they are having trouble with their ear, nose, and throat (ENT).
Hayes’s health deteriorated significantly, culminating in an emergency episode of anaphylactic shock. Her lips blew up to double their size. She had an Epipen from a prior allergic reaction, but it was unfortunately expired. This event needed hospitalization and sounded a call of the dangerous environment they were living in.
I worry that I’m going to lose my life. I can’t take the chance of passing out on this land and my two-year-old having to take care of herself. Hayes stated. Her distress has prompted her to demand that Community Housing address the mold issue immediately or provide her with alternative housing.
A spokesperson for Community Housing acknowledged Hayes’s situation, saying, “We are sorry that Ms Hayes has been experiencing problems with damp and mold in her home.” A full team has been sent in to assess and address the damage. They backfilled it with “very serious” and agreed that it’s not a quick repair.
Hayes said he was exhausted with Community Housing and betrayed by an industry expected to support him in this crisis. “I feel like we’ve been abandoned by Community Housing,” she emphasized. Her concern goes beyond just her unit, though, indicating that the mold issue may be putting other residents at risk.
“It must be affecting the whole building,” she remarked, highlighting her belief that immediate action is necessary to protect not only her family but other tenants living in similar conditions.
Despite the challenges she still faces, Hayes is intent on continuing to fight for herself and her daughter. Long-term exposure to mold can pose grave dangers to your wellbeing. The most worrying side effect is making respiratory damage permanent, particularly in small children.
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