Statement from New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer on NYCHA Lead Exposure

 

“Every failure to protect children from lead exposure is outrageous and unacceptable. Sixteen years ago, New York City set a goal to eliminate lead poisoning once and for all, but mismanagement and bureaucracy have let thousands of children fall through the cracks. Last year, I issued a report revealing systemic breakdowns that left thousands of buildings uninspected for lead paint. The City had the data but failed to connect the dots — and more children were exposed to lead as a result. Now, NYCHA has suddenly discovered 6,000 more apartments where children may have been exposed. We can’t keep failing to protect our kids. We need real management and accountability. No amount of lead in a child’s blood is safe or tolerable — period. I won’t waver in my focus on this issue until we’ve done absolutely all that we can to eliminate the threat of lead paint from our city. Our children deserve nothing less.”

The Comptroller’s investigation is available here.