The city Housing Authority is a dangerously unhealthy place to live, the state Health Department declared Monday.
Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said in the last month, his inspectors have found at least one “severe condition” that poses a health hazard inside 83% of the 255 apartments they checked across 23 developments.
Also 75% of the 64 common areas they visited had at least one health hazard.
Issues included peeling paint, damaged plaster, mold, evidence of rodent and insect infestations, and busted or missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Inspectors found insect infestation in nearly half (47%) of the examined apartments, “severe” electrical hazards in 16 units, 31 apartments without working smoke detectors and 15 units without heat.
Their team also found NYCHA’s repair system is broken, with workers encouraged to make cosmetic repairs rather than identifying and fixing underlying problems.
DOH did paint dust swipes in 191 apartments and found high levels of lead in four apartments, including one with young children. Several other apartments registered levels of lead that were just below the level deemed acceptable by federal environmental officials.
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Article source: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/city-finds-83-nycha-units-pose-severe-health-risks-article-1.3911103