40 Percent of Surveyed Red Hook Houses Residents Say They're Living With Mold

RED HOOK, BROOKLYN — A new report from community activist group Red Hook Initiative (RHI) found that 40 percent of Red Hook Houses residents surveyed currently have mold in their apartments, while 94 percent said they've had leaks or mold in the past.

The report (embedded below) surveyed 280 tenants from Red Hook East and West, of which 45 percent said that at least one member of their family suffers from a respiratory illness, a condition exacerbated by mold.

About half of the respondents who had mold in their apartments said it was in their bathroom, while a quarter said mold and leaks had damaged their personal property, including beds, couches, clothing, appliances and cabinets.

The tenants also told RHI researchers that NYCHA, the city agency responsible for the buildings, is often slow to respond to complaints — if it responds at all.

A total of 57 percent of surveyed residents said they had reported mold to NYCHA. Of those, about 60 percent said they had received a response, while just 16 percent said the reported problem had been fixed.

The report concluded that NYCHA was not adhering to the terms of a 2013 settlement following a class-action lawsuit known as Baez v. NYCHA. Under its terms, the agency has seven days, on average, to complete simple mold removal work, and fifteen days, on average, for more complex work. NYCHA is also required to follow up with tenants within two months to see if the mold has returned.

Among its recommendations, the RHI study calls for an "improved process for residents seeking mold related repairs. This process should include a system of oversight and a transparent process for residents to track progress and provide feedback."

The study also recommends stronger enforcement of the Baez v. NYCHA settlement terms.

“Over the past year, NYCHA has been making systematic changes to the way we identify, respond and prevent mold by working closely with experts," an agency spokesperson said in response to the report. "While the Authority is making considerable progress, we remain committed to further improving our methods in identifying and addressing the root causes of mold, drastically reducing reoccurrence rates.”

The spokesperson said that in Red Hook East and West, mold has been shown to return after two months in 27 percent of cases, a fact revealing the challenges presented by the buildings' design and age.

As of the week of Oct. 24, there were 7 open mold complaints in Red Hook East, and 18 open complaints in Red Hook West, according to the spokesperson.

The spokesperson said the agency is currently testing a tool that can "better identify sources of moisture that create mold."

And they noted that both the East and West Houses are scheduled for more than $437 million in FEMA recovery and resiliency work in response to Hurricane Sandy, "which includes a full roof replacement on damaged buildings."

The Red Hook Initiative's study is included below:

Pictured at top: Red Hook West. Image via Google Maps.