Comptroller Stringer Demands Answers after NYCHA Breaks Promise to Remedy Hazardous Playgrounds Uncovered in Earlier Audit

  New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer demanded answers from the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) on the authority’s year-long failure to remedy potentially dangerous conditions at hundreds of NYCHA playgrounds found in an audit released last year. In a letter to NYCHA Interim Chair Kathryn Garcia, Comptroller Stringer called for a public explanation of how and whether NYCHA has overhauled its inspections process of its 788 playgrounds across 238 NYCHA developments citywide, and for a clearly delineated plan to remedy all deficient conditions uncovered by the Comptroller’s office over a year ago.

“As a father, I am appalled. As Comptroller, my office is demanding immediate accountability. It’s no secret there have been systemic management failures at NYCHA, but the failure to do basic inspections to ensure children are safe at NYCHA playgrounds is inexcusable – and it demonstrates outright neglect. When it comes to the safety of our city’s children, adults simply cannot look the other way. Today, I am requesting that NYCHA provide my office, its residents, and the public with a clearly delineated plan to complete the inspections that were promised – but never completed – over a year ago and an explanation for NYCHA’s failure to follow its own written policies,” said New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. “We as a city are defined by how we support our next generation. Protecting the health and safety of our kids is our first job – it’s what every government official should be laser-focused on, every day. It is urgent that we work together to remedy these potentially dangerous conditions. We cannot permit any delays, especially now as the school year has concluded and more of NYCHA’s children and families will seek a safe space to play.”

In April 2018, the Comptroller’s office issued an extensive audit report that detailed NYCHA’s failure to perform required inspections and proper maintenance of its 788 playgrounds across 238 NYCHA developments citywide resulting in deficient conditions across hundreds of its playgrounds including hundreds of examples of hazardous and broken equipment. After the audit revealed an abject failure by NYCHA to monitor, track, and fix these dangerous conditions for NYCHA’s 400,000 residents, including 100,000 children, NYCHA responded with a promise to inspect and address all conditions within 90 days. However, recent reporting demonstrates NYCHA’s broken promise to its residents and the thousands of children that use the playgrounds.

The findings from the Comptroller’s office April 2018 audit include:

• ​Visibly hazardous conditions, which may have posed imminent danger to children, were found at 72 playgrounds across 52 different NYCHA developments;
• 151 developments had a total of 352 playgrounds with damaged safety surfacing, such as mats and tiles that were loose, missing, warped or otherwise damaged;
• 97 developments had a total of 164 playgrounds with missing, bent, or broken play equipment;
• 55 developments had a total of 79 playgrounds with clogged or inadequate water drainage; and,
• An in-depth review of a sample of 25 developments where our auditors found hazardous playground conditions revealed that NYCHA was keeping bogus playground inspection reports with inaccurate information and egregious omissions of specific hazards, listing the condition of broken and dangerous equipment as “good.”

To read Comptroller Stringer’s letter to NYCHA Interim Chair Kathryn Garcia, click here.

To read Comptroller Stringer’s 2018 audit of NYCHA playgrounds, click here.