Mold Move: Students Relocated as Cal Poly Humboldt Clears the Air

Housing protest at Cal Poly Humboldt.

In February of 2023, two students at Cal Poly Humboldt, local student musicians Mushroom Jack and Mushroom Evan, riled up the crowd with parody songs lamenting living in moldy dorms and run down motels. [Photo by Ollie Hancock]

Cal Poly Humboldt officials have started relocating students from the Campus Apartments after reports of mold, according to a letter from Chrissy Holliday, Vice President for Enrollment Management & Student Affairs. Holliday wrote,

The results of air sampling, received in recent days, led the University to bring in a professional consultant who performed additional testing throughout the Campus Apartments on Friday, Jan. 17. The consultant identified potential mold conditions, which could pose health concerns for individuals who may be sensitive to mold exposure, and collected samples.

The University decided to relocate some students and sent out notification this morning. Holliday says they have provided students with alternative housing assignments, moving support, and resources to ease the transition. Housing & Residence Life is also communicating with other Campus Apartments residents to address concerns.

Two years ago, in 2023, concerns about housing issues lead to widespread protests that in part included concerns about mold in dorms.

Historical Mold Challenges at Cal Poly Humboldt
Humboldt County’s wet climate provides great conditions for mold growth as most residents particularly in the coastal areas know.

Students at Cal Poly Humboldt are particularly familiar with the issue.

In the university’s student newspaper, the Lumberjack, an article in 2020 interviewed students about mold issues. One stated, “Whenever me or my roommates take showers or if we leave the door closed for too long, the condensation collects on the ceiling and the walls,” Trent said. “And we have to clean the walls and the ceiling pretty frequently because mold spots will start to grow.”

Another Lumberjack article in 2023 pointed out, “Pink, yellow, black and blue—these aren’t the colors of the rainbow, but they are the colors of bathrooms, kitchens and showers in dorms all over campus as residents attempt to deal with the mold that almost inevitably springs up in Arcata’s damp climate.”

One of the best options in most cases of moldy living conditions is to move. However, as a doctor in the first article noted, “Too many people are afraid to rock the boat or lose their rental and they don’t have anywhere to go and they don’t know if the next place they go will be moldy,” Dr. Miriam Peachy, an accredited practicing naturopath said. “It’s almost impossible to find a place that’s not moldy here.”

The  University has tried to educate students on the situation. The letter sent out by the University today states, “All students living in campus housing receive information about cleaning and mold mitigation in their ResLife & You Handbook.”

Health Resources and Ongoing Monitoring

According to the letter, student residents concerned about potential health impacts are encouraged to contact Student Health & Wellbeing Services at (707) 826-3146 during available hours. Medical care is also available 24/7 through TimelyCare.

Holliday acknowledged the difficulties of moving early in the semester. “We understand that relocating at the beginning of the semester can be frustrating and stressful for our students,” she wrote.

Information from HUD on Mold in Housing:

About Mold and Moisture

Molds are living organisms that grow in damp places in your home. They stain or discolor surfaces and smell musty. There are hundreds of thousands of different types of mold.

[Photo: Mold Spore]

Mold can grow almost anywhere: on walls, ceilings, carpets, or furniture. Humidity or wetness, caused by water leaks, spills from bathtubs or showers, or condensation, can cause mold to grow in your home.

Mold spores are tiny particles that float through the air. These can sometimes cause health problems. Mold does not affect everyone, and different people are affected differently when mold is breathed or inhaled.

People with allergies to mold may get:

  • Watery eyes
  • Runny or stuffed noses
  • Itching
  • Headaches
  • Difficulty breathing

Mold can also trigger asthma attacks. Some molds produce toxins (poisons) that may be hazardous if people are exposed to large amounts of these molds. Mold spores and related mycotoxins can also pose a serious health threat to individuals who have compromised immune systems.

What can you do?

To prevent and get rid of mold:

  • Keep your house clean and dry.
  • Fix water problems such as roof leaks, wet basements, and leaking pipes or faucets.
  • Make sure your home is well ventilated and always use ventilation fans in bathrooms and kitchens.
  • If possible, keep humidity in your house below 50% by using an air conditioner or dehumidifier.
  • Avoid using carpeting in areas of the home that may become wet, such as kitchens, bathrooms and basements.
  • Dry floor mats regularly.

To find mold that might be growing in your home:

  • Search for moisture in areas that have a damp or moldy smell, especially in basements, kitchens and bathrooms.
  • Look for water stains or colored, fuzzy growth on and around ceilings, walls, floors, windowsills and pipes.
  • If you smell a musty odor, search behind and underneath materials such as carpeting, furniture or stored items.
  • Inspect kitchens, bathrooms and basements for standing water, water stains and patches of out-of-place color.

To control moisture problems and mold:

  • Fix any water problems immediately and clean or remove wet materials, furnishings or mold.
  • Clean up spills or floods within one day. If practical, take furniture that has been wet outside to dry and clean. Direct sunlight prevents mold growth.
  • Dry all surfaces and fix the problem or leak to prevent further damage.
  • Install a dehumidifier when a moisture problem is evident or when the humidity is high.
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31 Let us come and reason together. Isaiah 1:18
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Bozo
Guest
Bozo
25 days ago

People don’t realize that living in the Redwoods is… ‘Pneumonia Gulch’*.




*(A suburb of Arcata).

Permanently on Monitoring
Guest
Permanently on Monitoring
24 days ago
Reply to  Bozo

My home in Lower Redway had a mold problem until I replaced the central heating system with a Bryant Variable-Speed Seer 24 Heat Pump, and left it on all Winter.

It cost $15,000.

Solved the moisture problem.

Almost everything at Winco Produce will mold in a few days.

I worked at Jerold Phelps Hospital, and folks, it’s very moldy there but they will tell you it’s not…

Last edited 24 days ago
Permanently on Monitoring
Guest
Permanently on Monitoring
24 days ago

But then my daughter went to Boston University, and stayed in a dorm for one semester…

She posted on her Facebook that the Dorm had rats (which it did) and was scolded by the housing office to STFU…

I visited on Parent’s Weekend, and saw the dorm room and ate in the Dining Hall… Then we went back upstairs and I noticed, upon using the restroom, which was very moldy, that men and women were using the same bathroom, and walking around naked…

She found an Apartment, on Beacon St, which was also a shithole, but stayed there for 3 more years…

Mold is always present in the environment, and causes Allergies and sometimes serious illness…

I have worse allergies in Lake County than in Humboldt…

I went to UC Davis, lived in 2 dorms, and work-study students cleaned the Bathrooms, and I never noticed anything like the molds in Humboldt…

You can get almost any degree, on-line, from the safety of your parent’s home, which may also have mold, but then you wouldn’t have the opportunity to get high and get laid, which is the whole point of in-person college anyway…

Could always buy a van and shower in the gym…

Hell, Harvard probably has a mold problem…

Last edited 24 days ago
Bug on a Windshield
Guest
Bug on a Windshield
24 days ago

Aaahhhh the housing of our youth.

My first apartment, in the late 80s, was in the hood of Sandy Eggo, 51st & University, if anyone knows the area, not too far from SDSU. I moved (escaped?) to Humboldt in ’96 and laughed at people’s complaints about the regularity of helicopters in SoHum. I’d quickly learn the difference, but at the time, it was a straight comparison. Helicopters were, quite literally, a nightly occurrence in some areas of S.D. There were plenty of rats and other vermin, although they were two legged. Don’t make eye contact.

Mold? Of course! We were college students and it usually appeared on the towering stack if dishes in the sink.

One of the best things about moving back home for a couple years was a washer and dryer that wasn’t caked with odors of must and perfume, or clothes staining oils, or ??.

Not saying its right, but, it’s a kind of a right of passage.

Zipline
Guest
Zipline
25 days ago

Perfect reason to relocate cal polyp humboldt to warmer climes. Stop the cancerous spread.

D'Tucker Jebs
Member
25 days ago
Reply to  Zipline

What about all the good it does the local economy?
What about the high schoolers here who want to go to a local university?
Or other people who live here and want to better their lot by getting advanced degrees?
Is sending something that benefits us so much off to SoCal or the Bay Area good for us?

I certainly hope no one puts you in charge of making decisions about water.

Friday
Member
25 days ago
Reply to  D'Tucker Jebs

I think Zipline is being humorous/sarcastic, although it’s hard to be certain these days.

Real advanced education...NOT
Guest
Real advanced education...NOT
25 days ago
Reply to  D'Tucker Jebs

And all the money it costs locals having students commit shoplifting, buying illicit drugs, faculty owning over priced apartment buildings, lack of advanced degrees (A master degree in select subjects) NO PhD’s degrees. A majority of local high school graduates attend Post Secondary Universities, many as far away as their acceptance will take them, a RN Nursing program that competes with the College of the Redwoods RN programs who are instructed by past HSU nursing faculty, over expensive tuitions and parking and the list goes on and on. None of my three kids went to Universities previously named State Colleges. Two went to University of Oregon and the third is a med student at UCSF. They wanted PhDs and a medical degree. Degrees Cal Poly Humboldt nor Humboldt State University can even come close to. And ALL of their Eureka High School student friends opted to be accepted to Real Universities in Oregon, Arizona and California and one at the University of Michigan. When they receive their advanced degrees they won’t be working at an Eureka fast foods or working jobs at salaries slightly above minimum wages. The only good Cal Poly does for Arcata is for retail businesses or black market weed growers. Throw in bars and liquor stores! And yes I am an attorney that I received from UC Berkeley and NOT Cal Poly Humboldt! There are very few living wage employment in Humboldt County except for Cities, Countries and the State Governments. And for some elected positions they are over paid.

Thatguyinarcata
Guest
Thatguyinarcata
25 days ago
Reply to  D'Tucker Jebs

Zipline is a misanthrope that regularly advocates the death of most humans.

I feel like that’s an important thing to remember when considering their suggestions. Their motivation isn’t the same as yours

Bug on a Windshield
Guest
Bug on a Windshield
24 days ago

Oh c’mon. Don’t exaggerate. It’s ALL humans.

Realist
Guest
Realist
25 days ago
Reply to  D'Tucker Jebs

Ya because our economy needs 20000 no producers every year

D'Tucker Jebs
Member
25 days ago
Reply to  Realist

That’s what we call university students these days?
And yes, our economy does need them.
They rent apartments, shop at stores and restaurants, and will one day be better suited to get decent-paying jobs that will allow them to contribute further still.

College also helps people learn how to write grammatically accurate sentences.

Realist
Guest
Realist
25 days ago
Reply to  D'Tucker Jebs

For a strong economy we need people to produce things with real value biologists don’t produce anything correct Grammer has no real value

CsMisadventures
Guest
CsMisadventures
25 days ago
Reply to  Realist

They don’t? The have a lot of say in the fishing industry. Government paid jobs with benefits and pensions too. A quick check on Indeed job searches has numerous biologist jobs with base pay of $75k-$150k. Grammar has essential value too. For example make the mistake of spelling “termite” as “thermite” and see what happens when you light one on fire.

Timb0D
Member
24 days ago

Thatt’s not gramer, thad is speeling.

Bug on a Windshield
Guest
Bug on a Windshield
24 days ago
Reply to  Realist

You’re not proving the Grammer point.

VBaker
Guest
VBaker
25 days ago
Reply to  Zipline

Relocate CalPolyHum?? How?

Short Fuse
Guest
Short Fuse
23 days ago
Reply to  Zipline

Cal Polyp moving to Weaverville not soon enough.

farfromputin
Member
farfromputin
25 days ago

Keeping a window open in each room prevents mold in the redwoods. And using a clothesline rather than a dryer makes a difference. Folks we live in heaven.

Bozo
Guest
Bozo
25 days ago
Reply to  farfromputin

Well…. Uh-huh-uh-huh. Ever been to Pneumonia Gulch ?

farfromputin
Member
farfromputin
25 days ago
Reply to  Bozo

Many parties in there. Keep them windows open. Country boys (and girls) will survive.

Poking the bear.
Guest
Poking the bear.
25 days ago
Reply to  farfromputin

Wood stoves prevent mold to.

Brackish
Guest
Brackish
25 days ago

So true. Dry heat rather than wet heat

VBaker
Guest
VBaker
25 days ago
Reply to  farfromputin

Right? One has to ADAPT! There is so much to be thankful for here! One just has to take the precautionary steps to prevent mold or any problem!

Bug on a Windshield
Guest
Bug on a Windshield
24 days ago
Reply to  farfromputin

Spot on with the Heaven part. For our little Hobbit house which cannot be seen on Google Earth, outside clotheslines allow things to drip but never dry. Inside clothesline next to the wood stove works well for some items. While we try to open the windows regularly, they’re never kept open for any length of time. There’s a good 10 – 15 degree difference, on any given day, between our front yard under the gully canopy and the neighbors a block away. We go through wood like a woodchuck chucking wood. Central heat? Why yes! Our woodstove is at the center of our house.
As VBaker commented, we adapt and prevent (fight) the mold, constantly.

JKD
Guest
JKD
25 days ago

OMG – time to learn about cleaning your home! Your mommy isn’t here to clean up after you – grow up & take care of yourself!

Steve
Guest
Steve
25 days ago

When I first came to HSU, I lived in Sunset dorm. At night the heat would be turned down and the wall would sweat, water dropping down the walls. If you had a box or a suitcase, you would have to leave a few inches from wall.

farfromputin
Member
farfromputin
24 days ago
Reply to  Steve

Me too. My student deferment fortunately kept me out of Viet Nam. Friends that fought were never the same. I was the lucky one.

Guest
Guest
Guest
24 days ago

Ace Hardware has several de-humidifiers in stock. Well worth the small investment
if mold is a health issue.

Bug on a Windshield
Guest
Bug on a Windshield
24 days ago
Reply to  Guest

I sometimes wonder if the water collected by our near-continuously running de-humidifier just gets evaporated by the woodstove, thus perpetuating the circle.

Stacee Cootes
Guest
Stacee Cootes
24 days ago

It isn’t the mold that is the issue, it is the mold that produce mycotoxins that people need to be concerned with. Chatcpt.com the health affects of mycotoxins. Nasty stuff and even the World Health Organization 2006 report on indoor mold says it will disrupt your immune system. I can tell you first hand