Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
NYCHA Earns Deservedly Low Inspection Scores on UES, Suspiciously High Scores on UWS
By
Claire Lampen
Published Sep 10, 2018
Modified Sep 11, 2018
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Claire Lampen
Published Sep 10, 2018
Modified Sep 11, 2018
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The New York City Housing Authority is notorious for allowing public housing units around the city to fall into dangerous states of disrepair, with lead poisoning, rodent infestations and the wild overgrowth of toxic mold among the many horrors NYCHA residents must endure. As such, news that some of the city's housing complexes earned extremely failing grades in a recent federal inspection likely won't shock anyone. 25 points out of a possible 100 for three Upper East Side buildings? Not surprising. But just across town, an Upper West Side complex scored a remarkable 97 percent. Puzzled? According to the NY Post, so are many residents.
"This past winter was bad. My apartment was only warm, I never got any heat. I froze. I slept with my hat on," Sandra, a former NYCHA employee and a resident of the building in question—154 W 84th Street—told the Post. "So a 97 is a lie."
Another resident, Richard Welch, told the tabloid that finicky, dilapidated elevators—a not uncommon fixture in NYCHA buildings—have stranded him in his apartment for up to five days, and for hours in the lobby.
The frequency with which the Department of Housing and Urban Development inspects public housing sites depends on how well buildings do in their previous inspections. These determine whether or not NYCHA succeeds in providing low-income New Yorkers with "decent, safe, sanitary housing in good repair."
According to the Post, the management team running the Upper East Side Isaacs Houses, Holmes Tower, and Robbins Plaza charted the most dismal scores any of their NYCHA colleagues have received since January 2015. These three buildings ranked 13th worst of the over 3,800 scores handed out in 2017.
Other residents complained of leaks left unpatched, asthma developed from bathroom mold doused in bleach, and general neglect. That tracks with what federal investigators who've looked into NYCHA's managerial tactics have found: That officials deliberately falsified reports to HUD on problem sites, hiding extremely unsafe conditions and ignoring repair requests. Indeed, the city now owes NYCHA $2 billion to cover the cost of crucial updates. Unfortunately, the actual tab would likely top $30 billion.
The Post does not suggest a reason for the suspiciously high 97 percent achieved on the UWS, but considering previous incidents involving NYCHA managers' reporting habits, we can take a guess. We have asked NYCHA for comment and will update if we hear back.
UPDATE: NYCHA spokesperson Chester Soria said in a statement: "Despite decades of federal disinvestment from public housing that has resulted in issues with our aging infrastructure, our residents still deserve safe, clean homes. Low PHAS scores demonstrate the work ahead for our new leadership team, and our new General Manager is already addressing staffing and operations issues portfolio-wide."
Tagged
nycha
public housing
ues
uws
Claire Lampen
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Forest Hills Stadium can keep its concerts under deal with neighbors
Neighbors had complained of traffic and loud concerts for years.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 22, 2026
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
News
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
NYPD arrests 17-year-old in fatal Midtown subway platform shooting
By
Charles Lane
Ex-Adams aide accused of pocketing kickbacks from community program funds
By
Samantha Max
MTA to begin 6-year project to upgrade signal tech on A and C lines in Brooklyn and Queens
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .