Free Lead Testing For Children After NYCHA Inspection Failure

Starting Monday, December 18, NYCHA and NYC Health will offer free lead testing for children across the city, following revelations that proper inspections hadn’t been carried out in city housing since 2012.

Testing will be available to children who are between 6 months and 8 years of age and live in any of the 2,300 NYCHA units in the city. The young age range was determined due to normal childhood behavior that could lead to the ingestion of lead dust.

“While the risk of significant exposure from this work remains low,” read the statement, the effort is being made “out of an abundance of caution.”

“Resident safety is our top priority,” said NYCHA Chair Shola Olatoye, who was grilled about lead testing failures in a City Council hearing last week. “We want to make sure families know about this free testing to address any concerns and provide peace of mind.”

NYCHA residents will receive more information and phone calls informing them of how to make appointments, which will be available at NYC Health + Hospital locations.

Last week, State Senator Jesse Hamilton announced he would be sponsoring free lead testing for children in Brooklyn in response to the scandal.