The New York City Housing Authority vowed yesterday to remove mold from asthmatics’ apartments at Brooklyn’s Van Dyke Houses as part of a lawsuit settlement.
The Natural Resources Defense Council and civic group the Metro Industrial Areas Foundation had filed a lawsuit in Manhattan Federal Court, accusing the agency of violating the Americans with Disabilities Acts for years. The agency has opted to settle the suit, and therefore repair crews must clean up the mold in apartments occupied by asthma-stricken tenants within 15 days.
If repairs are not made by then, those tenants can request that U.S. District Judge William Pauley impose fines on the agency. As part of the settlement, NYCHA will also have to file detailed reports on the handling of mold complaints, as well as fix leaky pipes that accumulate mold. The judge plans to track the agency’s compliance for the next three years.
The Van Dyke Houses, located at 370 Blake Avenue, in the Brownsville neighborhood, contains 22 buildings with 1,601 apartments. [NYDN] — Mark Maurer