Visible mold is covered by the California Housing Code: visible residential mold at a level that may be hazardous to occupants is a condition that makes housing substandard. The visible mold can be cited by local code enforcement so that the owner is required to remediate the problem. Often the challenge for the renter, when the owner is unresponsive to requests to fix the problem, is to identify the proper code enforcement authority to enforce the California Housing Code. Note that our small group at CDPH does not do enforcement or inspections, but provides information to the public and does research to assist protection of the public.
Please refer to this Code Enforcement table for California counties and cities to look for information on whom to contact to get help with enforcing the housing code depending on where you reside.
The following localities in California* do not inspect rental housing to enforce for mold as a substandard housing condition, although they are required to do so under State Housing Law. We are currently working on getting renters in these localities the enforcement to which they are entitled.
- City of Simi Valley, in Ventura County
- City of Pinole, in Contra Costa County
- City of Oakland, in Alameda County
- Unincorporated Alameda County
(*as of May 13, 2019)
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