New York City Agency Being Sued For Not Disclosing Hazards In NYCHA Apartments

Three New York City residents have filed a lawsuit against the housing development for not disclosing violations

Three people residing in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) apartments have filed a lawsuit against the housing development for not disclosing violations associated with the units.

According to the Gothamist, the residents claim that the agency does not publicly list violations for conditions harmful to tenants, such as rat infestations, mold blooms, and lead paint, in an online database. A 2022 state law requires that the agency disclose that information.

The complaint, filed on Oct. 30, accuses Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Adolfo Carrión of ignoring a 2022 state law requiring transparency about the conditions in the 177,000 public housing apartments, which can be seen on an online database (HPD Online).

One of the litigants who filed the lawsuit, Stewart Gracia, who lives in Jacob Riis Houses in Lower Manhattan, stated that due to the agency failing to report the violations, he and his neighbors are being deprived of using a vital resource that could help them make decisions about moving into a new apartment or challenging their landlord in court.

The lawsuit states that people who go online to use the site to find out information about a public housing apartment are typically met with a message saying, “This property is under the jurisdiction of the New York City Housing Authority” or “buildingIsNYCHA.” It’s alleged that employees who conduct inspections inside housing are explicitly told not to enter the pertinent information into HPD’s online portal.

“Certain things need to be more transparent and easily accessible,” Gracia said. “People [would] like to investigate before they move.”

A spokesperson for the HPD, Ilana Maier, said she could not comment but said that the agency is “working to further strengthen transparency.”

“We are reviewing the suit and — most importantly — want to reassure New Yorkers that our top priority is keeping them safe in their homes,” Maier said in a written statement.