As New Yorkers prepare to spend more time indoors this winter, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand sent a letter to the head of the New York City Housing Authority on the authority’s plans to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in public housing.
The lawmakers are concerned that substandard housing conditions have the potential to place residents at a higher risk of COVID-19 exposure and are asking NYCHA for a detailed plan of how the authority is using federal funding under the CARES Act to prevent outbreaks and take the necessary measures to keep residents safe.
They are also requesting details on NYCHA’s strategy for ensuring that any new ventilation systems will meet the standards set by the CDC’s COVID-19 mitigation guidelines.
The letter comes on the heels of a recent statement by NYCHA’s federal monitor that a significantly higher number than previously reported of NYCHA apartments with children under six might be exposed to lead risks.