Indoor Air Quality at NYCHA

NYCHA’s Environmental Health and Safety Department’s Indoor Air Quality Oversight Team (IAQOT) identifies and addresses hazards that impact air quality, such as mold, leaks, asbestos, toxic gases, and other airborne contaminants. The IAQOT includes one administrator and five specialists, who perform a range of health hazards investigations and oversight of mold remediations to ensure that work is completed in accordance with regulations and standard procedures. The team also recommends actions to resolve issues. If the identified health hazards can’t be addressed immediately, the team monitors the situation until it’s resolved. The team also conducts regular oversight inspections of mold remediation and asbestos abatement to verify compliance with safety mandates and standard procedures.

During a typical indoor air quality investigation, an IAQOT Specialist reviews the apartment’s work order history, conducts an on-site or phone interview with the resident and development staff, and assesses the apartment.

James Alaindy Gourdet, an Indoor Air Quality Oversight Team Specialist, arrives at Castle Hill Houses to conduct a mold oversight inspection.

Before conducting the oversight inspection, Mr. Gourdet meets with the Property Manager and property management staff to discuss the process of the mold remediation oversight inspection.

Mr. Gourdet reviews the log-in sheet for mold remediation jobs scheduled for that day.

Mr. Gourdet goes to the mold remediation job that’s in progress to verify that the vendor/NYCHA employee has received the proper training to perform the work. He also checks to see if the work area is properly contained, mold-resistant paint and caulking are present, mold growth was removed properly, and that any additional moisture or mold growth observed on surfaces was properly removed/remediated.

Mr. Gourdet checks moisture on the walls in several areas and documents the findings.

To make sure that the vent is operating properly, Mr. Gourdet inspects the airflow of the bathroom exhaust with an anemometer.

After observing the evidence of water leak damage in the living room, Mr. Gourdet tests the wall for moisture.

Mr. Gourdet pointed out the deficiencies found in the apartment to the painter on-site at the time of the inspection. The painting job was stopped immediately once the surfaces with wet moisture readings were observed.

Mr. Gourdet provides on-site guidance to the painter.

After visiting apartments, Mr. Gourdet continues the inspection in the hallway to check the extent of water leak residue.

After visual inspections are done, Mr. Gourdet goes back to the management office to document the findings and observations in a report that will be presented to property management.

If you have any concerns or complaints about indoor air quality, you can send them to NYCHA through this website.