Feds Investigating Elevated Blood Lead Levels In NYC Public Housing, Shelters
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Federal prosecutors are investigating health and safety conditions including lead paint in New York City homeless shelters and public housing developments.
The probe by the office of U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara will include an investigation into whether city housing agencies filed false claims to federal officials for payment related to health conditions, The New York Times reported.
Judge Deborah Batts filed an order Wednesday compelling the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to produce information about elevated blood lead levels and complaints of "unsafe, unsanitary or unhealthful conditions'' in public housing and homeless shelters.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city has an aggressive lead inspection and abatement program, 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria reported.
But he said the city would cooperate and make sure all the residents who could be affected are safe.
"We're going to be diligent about the work we do. We're going to be very willing to work with any and all other layers of government to make sure that families are safe, and to make sure children in particular are safe," de Blasio said. "And I want to assure all the residents of the Housing Authority that we have, again, a very stringent inspection effort, and any time we find a problem, we abate it."
A spokesman for the city's Law Department said the Health Department is cooperating with the investigation.
Housing Authority chairwoman Shola Olatoye told the Times she had no comment.
More than 400,000 people live in NYCHA's housing complexes.
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