By Juan Soto
Conditions at New York City’s Housing Authority buildings have worsened in recent years, especially because of the increase in the number of real broken or missing windows.
According to a report released by city Comptroller Scott Stringer, the number of broken or missing windows jumped 945 percent from 2005-11 to more than 6,000 in NYCHA apartments.
“Housing conditions at NYCHA have become a laundry list of tenant frustration, from broken windows and peeling paint to faulty heaters and scurrying rats,” said Stringer.
But the number of broken windows is just one of the variables in a public housing system that seems to be deteriorating.
Stringer found that heating equipment “continues to be a problem.”
The report points out that 20 percent of the rent-regulated apartments had heating systems breakdowns. The number of problems increased more that 72 percent from 2008-11.
In 2011, there were an estimated 43,000 reported breakdowns.
The report analyzed data on rent-regulated, market-rate rentals and owner-occupied apartments.
The report also found that the number of cases of broken plaster and peeling paint almost doubled from 2008-11.
And one in three tenants reported water leaks in 2011.
“While much of New York City housing stock remains in good condition and asset values have increased, significant pockets of our city’s housing are deteriorating,” the comptroller said
Queens has the second highest quality housing stock, according to the report called “How New York Lives.”
Reach reporter Juan Soto by e-mail at jsoto@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
