Image Credit: NYCHA.

The lead paint testing initiative comes from the City’s plans to eliminate childhood lead exposure and improve quality of living in public housing. On March 15, 2019, the New York City Housing Authority announced that it will be accelerating its new lead-based paint testing plan at the Bronx River Houses located in the Soundview section of the Bronx. The Bronx River Houses is one of the first set of developments NYCHA will begin testing in April, along with Harlem River and Williamsburg Houses. The lead paint testing initiative is part of the City’s LeadFreeNYC plan, a plan to eliminate childhood lead exposure. For CityLand’s prior coverage of LeadFreeNYC, click here.

The lead paint testing comes from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s July 2018 announcement for the City and NYCHA to fully test for the presence of lead-based paint in NYCHA apartments. In December 2018, NYCHA released a Request for Proposal to use portable X-Ray Fluorescence testing in apartments that have not been tested and showed no presence of lead. In February 2019, NYCHA awarded seven contracts to Airtek Environmental, Arc Environmental, ATC Group, JLC Environmental, Lew Corporation, The ALC Group, and TRC Environmental, starting April 1 and continuing through September 30, 2020.

The contractors are expected to inspect approximately 5,000 to 7,000 apartments each month. The contractors will also identify hazardous conditions that are detrimental to residents’ health and safety and will perform the HUD-annually required visual assessments for all apartments built prior to 1978 that have not been previously cleared of lead-based paint. NYCHA will correct any paint deficiencies observed during the visual assessments.

In addition to the lead paint testing, NYCHA will also hold a weekend repair blitz at the Bronx River Houses on March 30, 2019 to help address the work order backlog. The Saturday blitz initiative is part of NYCHA 2.0, a plan to ensure quality affordable housing for all NYCHA residents. As a part of the blitz, regular and extra staff will be on site from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Housing Assistants will also be available at the respective management offices to help residents with their annual income recertifications.

NYCHA recently tested all buildings at the Bronx River Houses development for Legionella bacteria in a response to recent Legionnaires’ disease cases.

“Accelerating our lead testing at developments with the most need is a vital step in our ongoing work to make sure NYCHA can be lead free,” said NYCHA Interim Chair and CEO Kathryn Garcia.

“NYCHA reached out to me in a timely fashion to address the many health concerns that has frightened the residents of Bronx River Houses and have assured me and others that there are plans in place to correct these issues,” said Bronx River Houses Resident Association President Norma Saunders.

By: May Vutrapongvatana (May is a CityLaw Intern and a New York Law School Student, Class of 2019).