Heres a basic scenario thats repeated around the country every day:
You have been renting an apartment for more than a decade. The walls are cracked, the flooring is hideous, and the heater tends to quit working at the most inopportune moments. Black mold has invaded the crevices of your bathtub tile, and you're not sure whats growing in the corner of your closet floor amidst the dirty shag carpet. However, your landlord has made it perfectly clear that she will not invest money in cosmetic changes or repairs, nor will she allow you to do so on your own.