07/27/2026
We checked into five hotel rooms.
Four were completely unacceptable.
Each had strong musty odors and visible signs of chronic moisture problems, including visible microbial growth. The fifth room still had a musty odor, but after hours of moving our family from room to room late at night, it was the best option available. We were only there for one night, so we stayed.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized this isn’t just a hotel problem.
It’s schools.
It’s college dorms.
It’s apartments.
It’s military housing.
It’s nursing homes.
It’s office buildings.
Millions of people spend most of their lives in buildings they don’t own and can’t fix. They trust that the people responsible for maintaining these buildings are protecting their health.
Too often, that trust is misplaced.
As someone who inspects buildings for a living, I see the same pattern repeatedly: chronic moisture intrusion, neglected HVAC systems, musty odors, and visible microbial growth. We know uncontrolled moisture promotes mold growth and can negatively affect indoor air quality. Yet these problems are too often ignored because proper investigation and repair take time and money.
This isn’t about creating fear.
It’s about creating accountability.
People deserve better. Families shouldn’t have to wonder whether the room they’re sleeping in, the classroom their child attends, or the dorm their college student lives in has been properly maintained.
I believe it’s time for stronger building standards that prioritize moisture control, proper HVAC maintenance, and healthy indoor environments in places where people live, learn, work, and travel.
We’ve normalized unhealthy buildings.
We shouldn’t.
Healthy buildings aren’t a luxury. They’re a basic expectation.
