An internal assessment by the Michigan Department of Corrections contradicts the state’s public claims that conditions at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility pose little cause for concern, documenting widespread infrastructure failures that create ideal conditions for mold to grow and spread.
The findings bolster long-standing complaints from inmates at the state’s only women’s prison, including Kyrstal Clark, who for years have warned that conditions inside the facility are making them sick and described persistent mold, poor air circulation, chronic dampness, and respiratory and skin problems. Despite the report, which was obtained by Metro Times on Tuesday, the state has often dismissed or minimized the women’s claims.
The FY2025 Five-Year Physical Assessment Plan, prepared by the department’s Physical Plant Division, describes chronic problems across the prison involving aging HVAC systems, moisture intrusion, failing ventilation, deteriorating building materials, and long-neglected mechanical systems. All of these are conditions that can allow mold to thrive even when surfaces are repeatedly cleaned or painted.
Neither Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office nor the MDOC responded to requests for comment, an all-too-familiar pattern.
The report outlines dozens of unresolved issues across housing units, food service areas, tunnels, and mechanical spaces, many of them linked to humidity control, airflow, and water management
The assessment repeatedly notes that air-handling systems at Huron Valley are outdated, difficult to regulate, or no longer functioning as designed. In some areas, air handlers rely on obsolete pneumatic controls, while others operate without adequate return air or exhaust capacity, making humidity control difficult or impossible.
Multiple rooftop air-conditioning units are listed as being at or beyond the end of their service life, with some units no longer operational at all. In some buildings, failed central air systems have been replaced with temporary window units, which is an approach that does not address ventilation or moisture removal and can worsen indoor air quality.
The report also calls for the replacement of all rooftop exhaust fan units on the east side of the facility, a sign that existing ventilation systems are no longer adequate to remove moisture from occupied spaces.
The assessment documents multiple sources of moisture entering or persisting within buildings. These include compromised roof drains that cause standing water during heavy rain, leaking roofs, deteriorated steam and condensate lines running through underground tunnels, and failing plumbing components that have required repeated emergency repairs.
Ceiling tiles in several areas are described as rusted, sagging, perforated, or falling apart, which are conditions typically associated with prolonged moisture exposure. In food service and warehouse areas, tiles are noted as being in “poor condition,” with visible deterioration linked to humidity and condensation.
The report also identifies widespread rusting of metal door frames, transoms, and steel structural components, particularly at ground level, which is another indicator of chronic moisture problems inside the building.
One of the most significant mold-related risks identified in the report involves the prison’s underground tunnel system. The facility’s aging steam and condensate lines run through the tunnels and are described as being lined with mineral buildup and in need of full replacement across nearly 300,000 square feet.
Deteriorating steam and condensate systems are a common source of hidden moisture, allowing warm, damp air to circulate into walls, ceilings, and mechanical chases. These are areas that are rarely accessible for cleaning but can spread mold spores throughout occupied spaces.
While the state has pointed to painting, cleaning, and limited repairs as evidence that conditions are under control, the assessment acknowledges that many problems are structural and systemic, requiring multimillion-dollar capital projects to correct.
The five-year plan for Huron Valley includes more than $12 million in proposed repairs, including replacement of steam and condensate lines, electrical panels, doors and windows, HVAC components, and water-damaged flooring.
Health and environmental experts warn that surface-level fixes, such as painting over walls or replacing isolated ceiling tiles, does not resolve mold problems when moisture sources, ventilation failures, and building envelope defects remain.
Despite these documented issues, the Department of Corrections has repeatedly downplayed concerns about environmental health conditions at Huron Valley, including complaints from incarcerated women who report respiratory problems, skin reactions, and other symptoms consistent with mold exposure.
The assessment shows that many of the facility’s most serious infrastructure problems were known internally before MDOC officials downplayed the problems.
In July 2025, Metro Times reported that a federal judge found conditions at the prison so severe they may violate the Constitution. U.S. District Judge Stephen J. Murphy III wrote that the facility is “infested with mold” that eats through brick and metal, drips from ceilings, and falls from air vents. The judge cited allegations that the mold has caused “respiratory infections, coughing, wheezing, rashes, dizziness, and fatigue,” and said the symptoms were severe enough to meet the legal threshold for cruel and unusual punishment.
Murphy highlighted claims that the prison has excessive moisture and lacks proper ventilation, becoming a breeding ground for mold.
Murphy’s ruling stems from a 2019 lawsuit filed against the MDOC by Clark and inmates Paula Bailey and Hope Zentz, who allege the prison is “operating under a state of degradation, filth, and inhumanity, endangering the health and safety of incarcerated women.”
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