U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, called it a “wake-up call” that Branford Manor, a federally subsidized housing development in the City of Groton, was inspected in June 2022 and received a passing score, even though a systemic problem affecting tenant health was so widespread.

The passing grade at Branford Manor, where residents have complained about mold and living conditions, is an example of “how the system was screaming out for change,” he said.

Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Chris Murphy, D-Conn., also have called on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, to revamp its inspection process.

Courtney said new stronger inspection standards proposed for federally subsidized housing, which HUD has been working on developing for several years, represent “a significant step forward” that he supports, and he also is calling for more steps to protect residents from mold.

He’s calling for HUD to incorporate resident concerns in its inspections and provide them in multiple languages with educational material on their rights and with steps to take to prevent mold. Courtney also calls for additional training and guidance for inspectors.

HUD has said its proposed National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) “provide standards for identifying and categorizing the severity of mold-like substances observed during a physical inspection.” HUD said it is reviewing comments and may revise the proposed standards, which HUD began testing in 2019, before they are slated to go into effect later this year.

Courtney sent a letter earlier this month to HUD to reinforce the importance of the new proposed inspection standards, which include criteria for visual observations of mold, and request changes to make the standards stronger.

Under the proposed standards, if a mold-like substance is observed visually during an inspection, that would count negatively towards a property’s scoring. HUD outlines criteria for categorizing how severe it is.

The mold issue is not only in Groton, he said. There were about 30 to 40 public comments about mold from throughout the country in response to the new HUD inspection standards.

Courtney also is working on a mold standard bill that he said would buttress HUD’s new inspection standards. If the bill is passed, the inspection standards would be written into law, which he said is much harder to potentially reverse than a regulatory action.

The bill, which is being developed, also would help with enforcement of safety and health standards in federally subsidized housing, create an education campaign, and provide ways to help property owners fix the issue, among other proposals.

“In the meantime, this is a very promising initiative and we wanted to encourage it,“ he said about HUD’s new standards.

In the Feb. 2 letter to HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge and Matthew E. Ammon, the director of HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, Courtney said he strongly supports the stronger inspection standards, which include “a deficiency criteria related to mold risk” so moisture sources conducive to mold growth would be limited, inspection protocols that incorporate moisture meters and take into account moisture levels, and the requirement for proper ventilation or dehumidification systems in bathrooms.

Recommendations for inspection standards

Courtney urges HUD to adopt additional measures.

Courtney said differences in geography and environment should be taken into account when establishing deficiency criteria “to ensure that these standards are in alignment with the variety of weather patterns throughout the country, including extreme heat, rain, hurricanes, snow, and how precipitation and temperature averages will be impacted by climate change.”

He also recommended HUD learn information from multiple sources, including tenants, an inspector, or moisture-tracking technology.

“Empowering tenants to deal with these issues and report violations to a local health agency, public housing agency, or to HUD directly will ensure that small problems with mold can be addressed before the issue becomes serious,” he wrote.

Courtney called for information on mold standards to be made available to tenants “in a searchable format in multiple languages,” and for the information to include examples and photographs.

He also called for training for inspectors on how to use moisture meters and infrared cameras and guidance on when the technology should be used. He said standards should include guidance on products, training, and “regionally specific and season-specific guidance.”

He said HUD should distribute education materials, guidance on best practices and additional information to housing agencies and property owners. He said “tenants should be provided information by property owners about the need for ventilation or dehumidification in kitchens, bathrooms, basements or other humid areas, and property owners should ensure that dehumidifiers, vents, or fans work in the space and can sufficiently move air to prevent accumulation of moisture and mold.”

He asked HUD to provide information “on what Congressional resources would be required to ensure that changes could be carried out quickly and effectively.”

Funds for climate resilience, energy, water efficiency

In another Feb. 2 letter sent to Fudge, Courtney describes how the Inflation Reduction Act includes $1 billion “in grants and loans for improving climate resilience and energy or water efficiency in HUD-assisted multifamily housing as part of the ”Green and Resilient Retrofit Program.“” As HUD decides on the awarding of funds, he requested the agency “prioritize repairs which both improve health and safety and also lower energy consumption.”

“Many energy-efficient upgrades, such as replacing a window or door that allows rainwater to leak inside during bad weather, or replacing HVAC systems, would have a two-fold benefit to the housing unit,” Courtney said. “These benefits include air quality improvements and the prevention of mold in units without proper ventilation. Problems with air quality and mold growth in apartment buildings have become a pressing concern in many areas of Connecticut, including my district. The impact of climate change and higher levels of precipitation from climate change have exacerbated these problems. Additionally, making the building’s envelope more secure from flooding events – which could also help with energy efficiency – could protect against mold growth that frequently occurs after a flood.”

k.drelich@theday.com