NYCHA failed to inspect apartments for lead paint for years: report

Agency has 55K apartments that likely have the problem

NYCHA's Grant Houses
NYCHA's Grant Houses

The New York City Housing Authority failed to inspect apartments for lead paint for years, but falsely claimed that it did, according to a new report by the city’s Department of Investigations.

“Since the Housing Authority learned it wasn’t in full compliance with lead-based paint regulations and reporting, it has taken steps to address the underlying issues,” a NYCHA spokesperson told the New York Daily News. “We owe our residents better, and we’ll take today’s recommendations into careful consideration.”

NYCHA has around 55,000 apartments that likely contain lead paint and is required to inspect them annually. But according to the DOI, the agency stopped doing annual inspections between 2012 and 2014.

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“In fact, one operations executive told DOI that if asked, he would have answered that NYCHA was not in compliance with applicable lead laws — but he was never asked,” the report noted.

The Real Deal recently looked at how NYCHA has become increasingly reliant on the New York real estate industry to stay afloat.  [NYDN]Konrad Putzier