Mayor addresses NYCHA lead paint testing scandal

NEW YORK (FOX5NY.COM) - A source told Fox 5 that units at the Williamsburg Houses are one of the NYC HA buildings impacted by a DOI report that stated lead paint safety inspections were falsified. But it doesn't stop here. Just to give you an idea of scope, we are talking about 55,000 public housing units.

The Department of Investigation released the report last Tuesday. The DOI report said that NYCHA failed to make mandatory lead paint safety inspections and then falsely stated in reports the work was done. The report stated that this went on even as top officials in the department knew for four years beginning in 2013.

The mayor addressed the report for the first time publicly at an event in Flushing, Queens. He said what happened is not acceptable to him but that he believes the right officials are in place to reform NYCHA.

Questions remain about what the Mayor's Office knew. Here is the timeline.

April 2016 - NYCHA Chair first informed by staff that the Housing Authority was out of compliance on a local law the requires city to inspect public housing units specifically for lead.

The Chair immediately informed City Hall and began corrective actions.

July-August 2016 - NYCHA Chair was informed by staff that the housing Authority was also out of compliance with lead-based-paint-regulations on a federal level.

The Chair informed City Hall and the HUD Regional Administrator of the lead regulations lapse.

On Monday, some elected officials called for an independent monitor.

NYCHA is the largest provider of affordable in the country.