When it comes to mold complaints, the Bronx is at the top of the list, according to a recent study.
According to HouseFresh, an independent publication which focuses on air quality inside and outside of homes, more than 73 Bronx residents on average out of 10,000 of the borough’s inhabitants had reported issues with 311 regarding mold concerns from October 2022 to October 2023, which is the highest average per 10,000 people among the five boroughs.
Manhattan is second on the list, with about 37 out of 10,000 residents who have filed mold or indoor air quality complaints, followed by Brooklyn with 35 residents who filed complaints per 10,000 people during that same time period.
A recent study also found that the Bronx is currently the leading borough regarding mold, as mold reports have risen by more than 17% over the past five years, from October of 2018 to October of 2023, more than any other borough, according to HouseFresh.
Additionally, over the same five year period, the Bronx saw an increase of 70% for indoor air quality complaints, along with a 33% increase of complaints relating to outdoor air quality.
The data provided by HouseFresh also concludes that the Hunts Point neighborhood ZIP code, 10474, had the second most mold complaints out of any ZIP code throughout the five boroughs, with 122 residents filing complaints, per a 10,000-person capita.
The ZIP codes which represent the Bronx neighborhoods of Bathgate, Morris Heights, Belmont, Highbridge and Melrose also rank in the top 10 among mold complaints for all ZIP codes throughout the five boroughs. Six of the top 10 ZIP codes with the most mold complaints are located in the Bronx.
Additionally, the Bronx has seen an increase of 311 complaints over the past five years, from 648 complaints between November 2017 and October 2018 compared to 1,108 complaints related to indoor air quality from November 2022 to October 2023.
Earlier this month, the Legal Aid Society and 25 Bronx tenants filed a lawsuit against the property owners of 2201-05 Davidson Ave. in University Heights. The interior of the property reveals visible black mold along with other issues including vermin infestations and water leaks, both which are contributing factors to mold accumulation in a household.
Mold, which is a type of fungus, thrives on moisture and reproduce by spreading spores in the air, while sometimes damaging the surfaces on which they grow.
According to HouseFresh, New Yorkers have called 311 more than 500 million times, since the non-emergency system was officially implemented in 2003, with two of most common call complaint types pertaining to mold and indoor as well as outdoor air quality.
Reach Steven Goodstein at sgoodstein@schnepsmedia.com or (718) 260–8326. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
