NYCHA Waives Right to Hearing to Challenge Lead Inspections

On April 2, Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared NYCHA was in a state of emergency. (From left CCOP president Danny Barber, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, attorney Jim Walden)

NEW YORK CITY—Judge Carol R. Edmead of the New York State Supreme Court earlier this week had granted a preliminary injunction requiring emergency lead paint inspections of thousands of NYCHA apartments. The Citywide Council of Presidents, a group acting on behalf of NYCHA tenants, and the non-profit At-Risk Community Services, Inc., filed a lawsuit against NYCHA and its chair, Shola Olatoye, in February. The lawsuit alleges failure to protect the public housing tenants from toxic lead, mold, vermin, roaches, violent offenders engaging in criminal activity, and failing to provide heat and hot water.

Olatoye had resigned on April 9, effective at the end of this month. Michael Kelly, who had been NYCHA’s general manager, resigned at the end of February and in March accepted the job of COO and EVP at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation.