For Immediate Release
November 2, 2015
WE ACT for Environmental Justice, 212-961-1000 ext. 320 communications@weact.org
NEW YORK, NY –On the anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, WE ACT for Environmental Justice Joined, Council Members Ritchie Torres and Costa Constantinides along with prominent labor leaders and NYCHA residents on City Hall Steps to introduce new legislation concerning mold remediation work and licensing in public housing. If passed, the bill would create a new system of training, licensing and job standards for elimination of mold.
While NYCHA previously agreed to deal with the growing mold problem, a report last year revealed that 1 in 3 tenants say the mold reappears after NYCHA say’s they fix it. WE ACT member and Long time NYCHA resident, Michelle Holmes is one of those residents. She shared her story at the press conference.
“For years I fought with NYCHA to address this issue only to have people come to my home, throw bleach on the walls, paint over the bleached walls (and ceiling) and tell me that the problem was fixed. The problem wasn’t fixed because the mold would always return within a short period of time.”
Other residents shared their stories of botched mold work in their apartments and visuals of mold that is still present. Three years after Superstorm Sandy and numerous reports of ineffectual mold remediation in NYCHA developments, the City Council is stepping in with a bill that would establish minimum standards for carrying out mold remediation work in public housing and require public notification of projects.
People interested in receiving this training would be able to do so through a license under the rules from the State Department of Labor.