Bellingham Board of Health calls emergency meeting over housing authority mold remediation

Board of Health · Meeting of July 21, 2026

Bellingham's Board of Health voted unanimously to hold an emergency meeting July 28 to confront the Bellingham Housing Authority over a mold and structural decay case in one of its units. Chair Richard Martinelli and Health Agent Bill Levante said that roughly three weeks elapsed between a site visit at which they personally observed black mold and rotting flooring — in a unit housing a child with asthma — and a July 17 email notifying them that remediation had begun and the family had been relocated to a hotel for four days. Martinelli counted aloud Tuesday night and concluded the four-day hotel window had already elapsed, raising the question of whether the family had been returned without a mold clearance or building inspection sign-off.

Levante said he believes the scope of the structural repairs would require a building permit under Massachusetts law, telling the board, "I haven't heard anything from the building department." The board also tabled a proposal to join a regional health district with Wrentham and Norfolk after Levante explained the arrangement would make him a district employee rather than a town employee, with Martinelli declaring, "We answer to them and us — that don't fly."

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,529 words

Source: the Board of Health meeting of July 21, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.