On the first day of the 2019 – 2020 heat season, The Legal Aid Society called on New York State and New York City lawmakers to fast-track capital funding to address over $3 billion needed – per NYCHA’s 2018 Physical Needs Assessment report – for upgrades to heat and hot water systems at New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments throughout the city, reports Curbed New York.

The Legal Aid Society recently obtained data through a Freedom of Information Law disclosure which revealed that nearly 90 percent of NYCHA apartments lost heat and hot water during last year’s heat season, which lasted from October 1, 2018 to May 31, 2019. Moreover, this past August, several thousand residents were plagued by sudden water outages in 35 buildings across 11 developments.

“Last heat season was a disaster for our clients in public housing with heat and hot water outages plaguing nearly 90 percent of NYCHA residents. The problem is the lack of substantial funding needed to meet the scope of the problem, and our lawmakers at City Hall and in Albany must finally recognize it,” said Judith Goldiner, Attorney-In-Charge of our Civil Law Reform Unit.