This is our newsletter, Hard Reset. Sign up here.

BigIfTrue.org’s mission is to report stories that envision a more equitable world and energize our readers to improve their communities. Donate to support our work here.

In the news

• Before Tuesday’s shooting that killed 19 children and two adults in Uvalde, Texas, state lawmakers had spent the last several years loosening gun laws.
• New from BigIfTrue.org: As the nation grapples with rising homelessness, some communities are turning to laws that criminalize being unsheltered by banning resting, sleeping and camping in public places. Housing advocates say these bans will force unsheltered people through a cycle of incarceration, limiting their options for finding homes in the future. Other service providers expressed concerns that the bans divert resources toward the most visible homeless community and away from others who are out of the public eye, especially families with children.
• A new Oklahoma law will allow judges to waive court fees for kids charged in juvenile court.

ICYMI from BigIfTrue.org

Homes overrun with mold can trigger or worsen allergies, asthma and other respiratory problems. But federal laws don’t address mold in housing, and most state and local housing codes don’t mention mold, either.

Housing advocates, attorneys and renters themselves say tenants have few options when landlords won’t deal with what’s causing mold to grow.

Renters also worry that complaining could leave them looking for a home in a crowded rental market. I spoke with a renter who was told her lease wouldn’t be renewed a day after complaining to her landlord about mold that was causing her health problems.

Read more, and support our journalism with a tax-deductible donation.

Thank you for reading Hard Reset. You can reach me here at bryant@bigiftrue.org and 405-990-0988.
 
– Mollie Bryant
Founder and editor, BigIfTrue.org