These Moldy, Pest-Infested NYC Neighborhoods See Asthma Spike

NEW YORK CITY -- New York neighborhoods where tenants report moldy, rodent-infested buildings have almost double the asthma rates of their neighbors, according to a new study.

Asthma rates spike in central Brooklyn and Bronx neighborhoods where a large number buildings suffer from infestations that residents usually discover only after moving in, according to real estate analysts from Localize.city.

“A fresh coat of paint often covers up serious maintenance problems which New Yorkers only uncover after moving in,” said Localize president Steve Kalifowitz.

"We’ve heard from many residents who didn’t realize the extent of the problems in their building until they searched their address at Localize.city.”

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Localize analyzed housing violations from January 2013 to December 2018 and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention asthma data to determine which neighborhoods are most likely to trigger attacks.

Here's what the report found:

Highest Asthma Rates (Cases Per 100 Adults)

1. Brownsville, Brooklyn, with 14.2 cases
2. Morrisania, The Bronx, with 13.5 cases
3. Williamsbridge, The Bronx, with 13 cases
4. Edenwald, The Bronx, with 12.9 cases
5. East Tremont, The Bronx, with 12.8 cases
6. West Farms and Crotona, The Bronx, with 12.7 cases
7. Crown Heights, East Flatbush and Starrett City, Brooklyn, with 12.6 cases
8. Morris Heights and Mott Haven, The Bronx, with 12.6 cases
9. Melrose, The Bronx, with 12.5 cases
10. Flatbush, Brooklyn, with 12.5 cases

Highest Mold Rates (Violations Per 100 Renting Households)

1. Prospect Park South, Brooklyn, with 17.6 violations
2. Tremont, The Bronx, with 17 violations
3. Fordham, The Bronx, with 15. 4 violations
4. Mariner's Harbor, Staten Island, with 15.3 violations
5. Concourse, The Bronx, with 13.7 violations
6. Mott Haven, The Bronx, with 12.6 violations
7. East Tremont, The Bronx, with 12.2 violations
8. Flatbush, Brooklyn, with 11.7 violations
9. University Heights, The Bronx, with 11.5 violations
10. Park Hill, Staten Island, with 11.4 violations

Highest Pest Rates (Violations Per 100 Renting Households)

1. Tremont, The Bronx, with 30.7 violations
2. East Tremont, The Bronx, with 25.8 violations
3. Concourse, The Bronx, with 25.5 violations
4. Fordham, The Bronx, with 25.3 violations
5. Morrisania, The Bronx, with 23.2 violations
6. Wakefield, The Bronx, with 22 violations
7. Clifton, Staten Island, with 22 violations
8. Highbridge, The Bronx, with 21.9 violations
9. Hunts Point, The Bronx, with 21.4 violations
10. Williamsbridge, The Bronx, with 20.4 violations

To report mold or rodent infestations, first contact your landlord then, if the issue is not addressed, file a 311 complaint about mold or pests.

Ka Chor holds an inhaler to help with his breathing in his apartment in Chinatown September 01, 2006 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)