NYCHA’s Healthy Homes Unit Makes Significant Progress for Residents in 2022 

The past year was a productive one for NYCHA’s Healthy Homes Unit as it increased its efforts to provide safe and healthy homes for residents, through projects such as roof fan replacement and collaboration with other NYCHA departments to clean up mold and stop leaks.  

In 2022, the Healthy Homes Unit’s Office of Mold Assessment and Remediation (OMAR) completed the installation of 6,188 new roof fans. The project, which started in 2020, replaced old roof fans with new ones to better draw air out of bathrooms and kitchens, reducing moisture and mold. During the same period, engineers declared 2,248 other roof fans as fully functional and safe for continued use.  

The replacement and inspection of roof fans is part of a larger ventilation modernization exercise by NYCHA to improve airflow as well as reduce and address the root causes of mold growth across its developments.   

This past year, OMAR also provided tracking support to NYCHA’s Operations team to close nearly 14,000 mold-cleaning and mold-resistant paint work orders as part of “Operation Mold Cleanup.” It also created a dedicated team that cleaned up mold. By the end of 2022, the team had completed nearly 2,000 mold-cleaning work orders. In addition, OMAR has so far completed 381 complex repair work orders using vendor resources. Large-scale mold remediation and renovations were also carried out at the Chelsea-Elliott gymnasium and Queens Public Library Ravenswood branch.   

OMAR also mobilized superintendents and assistant superintendents on its team to inspect mold in buildings. OMAR has completed 1,289 inspections at high-risk locations to date.  

A key tool in fighting mold in the past year was the introduction of the Mold and Leaks Scorecard – a visual and assessment tool that rates the performance of each NYCHA neighborhood and consolidation on 11 critical mold and leak compliance metrics, giving NYCHA a greater understanding of where it needs to focus its resources.  

OMAR trained key NYCHA operational staff, including operations administrators, skilled trades administrators, property managers, and property maintenance superintendents, on how to use the scorecard. Since its introduction, the scorecard has led to an overall improvement in NYCHA’s handling of mold and leaks issues; the biggest improvements were seen in developments in the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island.  

“2022 was a very productive year, and we are pleased to have reached key milestones towards NYCHA’s mission to provide safe and healthy housing to NYCHA residents,” said Elena Tenchikova, Senior Director of the Healthy Homes Unit. “The OMAR team worked diligently throughout the year. We are grateful for leadership support and partnership with the Operations team.” 

Another Healthy Homes Unit achievement in 2022 was the completion of its first Building Line Initiative (BLI) project. Under the initiative, plumbing components (i.e., waste line stack, vent lines, and associated branch lines) are replaced in select NYCHA developments. Kitchens and bathrooms in six apartments at Red Hook East were completely renovated as part of the BLI in 2022. Tompkins Houses is expected to benefit from the BLI next.  

The Leak Standard Procedure pilot program was launched in 2022 at Brevoort, Seth Low, and Roosevelt Houses I and II. The procedure establishes measures that can help respond to and prevent floods, leaks, excessive moisture, mold, and their root causes.  

Looking ahead, in 2023 the Healthy Homes Unit will continue to engage select NYCHA consolidations under the Enhanced Oversight Program (EOP), providing strategic guidance and immediate assistance as part of a NYCHA-wide effort to better address mold and leaks. Using the Mold and Leaks Scorecard, the EOP selects locations with the most mold-related work orders and develops performance milestones to achieve. OMAR checks in weekly with EOP sites to help prioritize tasks and monitor performance, engaging the assistance of the Ombudsperson Call Center (OCC) when needed. Training and coaching on mold inspections is provided to relevant staff as needed, and OMAR’s mold inspection and cleaning teams are deployed where needed.

As part of the EOP, OMAR helped close 666 mold inspections, 603 mold-cleaning work orders, and 53 tub enclosure replacement work orders. Additionally, the EOP helped O’Dwyer Gardens reduce its percentage of skilled trades work orders over 100 days from 91 percent to 64 percent, and Sumner reduced its maintenance work order backlog by 68 percent. Other consolidations that benefited from the program last year were Astoria, Jefferson, Queensbridge North, Red Hook East and West, Saint Mary’s, Unity Plaza, and Wilson Houses.