It’s been more than three months since Hurricane Sandy ravaged the East Coast, flooding homes and leaving thousands of people to deal with the aftermath. According to local news source SILive.com, the super storm had a significant impact on Staten Island, New York, and residents in the area have struggled with both the U.S. government and the insurance industry to get back on their feet. 

One of the biggest post-Sandy problems facing Staten Island homeowners, states the source, is the presence of mold in buildings that were once flooded. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), prolonged exposure to this toxic fungus can cause a whole host of health problems.

Fortunately, The Mayor’s Fund, a local non-profit organization, recently announced a partnership with the American Red Cross and the Robin Hood Foundation to put $15 million toward eliminating mold from Staten Island residences. Officials engaged in relief efforts will help the organizations identify the “neediest homeowners” – particularly senior citizens – and ensure that they make their houses safe to live in once again.

“We question whether the program has enough money allotted to it to help all the homeowners who need it. Their own funds are stretched pretty thin these days, what with all the emergency expenses they have had to bear for the past several months,” states the source. “But clearly it will give a lot of hurting families one fewer Sandy-related thing to worry about.”

If left untreated, mold can become a serious issue, and lead to potentially dangerous health problems. The worst part is, some homeowners don’t even know they have it until it turns into a full-on outbreak. If your house has been affected, or if you just want to be proactive, a home inspection contractor can perform mold testing to help you determine next steps.