A federal judge Thursday ordered the city Housing Authority to let a lead paint expert monitor some inspections next week for an independent look at what they’re doing.
Manhattan Federal Judge William Pauley issued the order at the request of attorney Corey Stern who’s filed a class action suit on behalf of NYCHA tenants targeting the authority’s lead paint inspection failures.
The two lead plaintiffs in Stern’s suit are mothers of children living in NYCHA apartments who registered elevated blood-lead levels.
Next Monday and Tuesday, Stern’s expert will accompany NYCHA’s inspectors when they check eight random apartments for the presence of lead paint.
Pauley is the same judge overseeing a lawsuit that charged NYCHA with failing to clean up dangerous mold conditions in apartments of tenants with asthma. He ordered an independent monitor to come in after deciding the authority was dragging its feet.
Public Advocate Letitia James, who’s called for NYCHA Chairwoman Shola Olatoye to step down over the inspection failures, had attorneys from her office monitor the hearing in Pauley’s court.
“Today’s decision from the court clearly demonstrates the severity of NYCHA’s failures to protect its residents,” James said. “NYCHA’s negligence has put our children at significant risk and caused a terrible breach of public trust.”
A rep for NYCHA, Jasmine Blake, said, “This will not impact the timeframe of our remaining 2017 inspections. All but 249 inspections were complete as of this morning, and the judge is permitting observation of 8 of the remaining inspections. Our inspectors are trained to do this work properly in compliance with the law.”
Two weeks ago the city Department of Investigation revealed that for the last several years, NYCHA has falsely claimed to have performed all required inspections.
Mayor de Blasio knew about the non-compliance for more than a year and called it “unacceptable” only after the DOI report was released.
On Thursday he repeated his regrets at his delay in making what he knew public, stating, “I’m the first to say in retrospect I wish I had communicated more. I’ve learned a good lesson here to now to think more deeply about have we said everything we need to say. But I’m very satisfied that the things that needed to be done were done.”
With Jillian Jorgensen
