New York City Council Passes Sweeping Lead Paint Laws Targeting Landlords
New laws sharpening government oversight of lead paint in New York City rental apartments passed the New York City Council Thursday, much to the disappointment of the industry lobby groups that say the legislation will do more harm than good.
Five bills aimed at protecting residents from lead paint exposure passed the 51-member legislative body, three doing so unanimously, The Real Deal reports. Under the new laws, inspections would be required of buildings that may pose risks of lead exposure to children, a new process for landlords to fix violations would be set up, and lead paint abatement would be mandated in all units where a child younger than 6 years old lives by mid-2027.
“The lead laws that have already been passed are working,” Ann Korchak, president of Small Property Owners of New York, told TRD. “They didn’t even finish the implementation of the last lead law, which is 2025, that every unit has to be tested.”
The Community Housing Improvement Program told TRD the laws were rushed through. Since 2004, landlords in older buildings have been required to inspect for lead every year and keep records of whether there is an occupant who is younger than 6. They must remove lead paint from surfaces before a new person can move in.
Lead is known to stunt growth and development, as well as cause brain and nervous system damage.
This week, Mayor Eric Adams said his administration had enforced $500K in civil penalties against landlords who had violated Local Law 1, which is the New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act. Lead paint has been banned in New York City for over 60 years. There were 111,509 lead-based paint violations between January 2018 and March 2023, according to the city council.
