10/27/2016
By Ivan Pereira
Public housing in Red Hook is still overrun with mold, according to a new report released Thursday, two days before the fourth anniversary of superstorm Sandy.
The nonprofit Red Hook Initiative teamed up with researchers and interviewed 280 residents of the Red Hook East and West Houses about their apartment conditions.
About 43 percent of the respondents had mold in their homes, according to the study.
The report said the 2012 storm exacerbated the mold problem and although New York City Housing Authority has made efforts to address complaints, it needs to create a timeline for removal projects.
A NYCHA spokesperson said Red Hook East and West Houses have a 27 percent mold reoccurrence rate after 60 days, compared to the city average of 32 percent.
The agency has worked with “a certified industrial hygienist, and a building engineer specialist,” to change the way it responds to mold complaints and the Red Hook buildings will receive than $437 million in FEMA funding for Sandy related construction and repairs, according to the spokesperson.
“We remain committed to further improving our methods in identifying and addressing the root causes of mold, drastically reducing re-occurrence rates,” the agency said in a statement.
