NYCHA’s Clean Vents Initiative Generates Jobs & Improves Air Quality

In the last 10 months, the Authority cleaned vents in more than 31,000 of its apartments across 72 developments as part of the Clean Vents Initiative (CVI), which aims to improve ventilation and air circulation in NYCHA apartments by cleaning bathroom and kitchen vents. Dust and debris that build up in vents over the years contribute to a humid environment which can promote mold growth. Every day, vents are cleaned in 250-300 NYCHA apartments by NYCHA staff or contractors. In total, NYCHA’s Office of Mold Assessment and Remediation is planning to clean vents in over 100,000 apartments. The rest of NYCHA’s apartments will be cleaned by either third-party managers or NYCHA’s Capital Projects Division. All bathroom and kitchen vents across the Authority are expected to be cleaned by the middle of 2022.

Elena Tenchikova, Senior Director of NYCHA’s Office of Mold Assessment and Remediation, said that cleaning the vents improves the airflow in the apartment by about 37 percent on average. 

“The initiative is important because we are cleaning the vents and dust debris that has accumulated over the years,” Ms. Tenchikova explained. “It improves air quality and allows the roof vents to work properly and exhaust out the air and moisture, which helps prevent mold growth. The initiative has been successful so far. We do pre- and post-work measurements to see if there is an improvement in airflow, and there is a substantial change.”

The Clean Vents Initiative is part of NYCHA’s larger efforts to improve and modernize ventilation at its developments, which includes installing and upgrading roof fans, cleaning building ventilation systems, and cleaning or installing fire dampers inside building ventilation systems.

NYCHA residents benefit from CVI not only from the improved air quality in their apartments but also from the job opportunities generated. NYCHA is hiring residents for supervisor and technician positions as part of the program – so far, two NYCHA residents were hired as supervisors and fourteen as technicians.

Mathew Roig is one resident who was hired as a technician to clean the vents in NYCHA apartments. He was recently promoted to the supervisor position. He said that being a NYCHA resident helped him to get the job in the first place. It also helped him to perform his job more effectively.

“I grew up in South Beach Houses in Staten Island,” Mr. Roig noted. “And so I have a good inside look. Coming from a NYCHA apartment, I know how to talk to people. Residents are very welcoming. My team is very respectful, too. I like being part of the team process and making the air vents more efficient. That’s really what I care about – giving back to the community. The residents’ feedback is definitely one thing that inspires me. I try to perform to the best of my ability, and everyone around me motivates me to do that. At the end of the day, when residents breathe cleaner air, I feel happy.”

Latashia Hardin is a technician, too. She started working with NYCHA in 2020 as a building sanitizer. Since April 2021, she has been cleaning NYCHA vents with her coworkers. “I love the hands-on nature of the job,” Ms. Hardin said. “You learn new things every day with your partner when you are cleaning.”

NYCHA encourages residents to make their vents available for cleaning. It takes only about 15 minutes to clean each vent. Contractors and staff come equipped with the tools and cleaning supplies needed to complete the job without disrupting residents’ daily routines.  

NYCHA is hiring residents as part of the Clean Vents Initiative! NYCHA residents who are interested in work opportunities with NYCHA’s Office of Mold Assessment and Remediation should contact NYCHA’s Office of Economic Empowerment & Sustainability (REES).