Help is available for residents of public housing who are worried about mold in their apartments. 

A new city law now requires the Housing Authority to inform residents about an independent, court-appointed ombudsman that oversees NYCHA's mold reduction program. That ombudsman can be reached through a call center to handle their complaints.

What You Need To Know

  • A new law will require the city to send NYCHA residents information about the new independent Ombudsman Call Center (OCC), which will investigate complaints of mold by public housing tenants

  • Bronx resident Barbara Holmes of Morrisania showed NY1 mold in her bathroom and intends to reach out to the OCC

  • "NYCHA works extensively to communicate with residents and takes the work of eradicating leaks and mold seriously," says NYC Deputy Press Secretary Laura Feyer in a statement to NY1

Barbara Holmes lives at the Gouverneur Morris Houses in the Morrisania section of the Bronx. She invited NY1 into her home to observe a black spot that she says has been popping up for years inside her bathroom.

Holmes said it never really bothered her until a friend pointed out it was mold.  

“I don’t know if this is what’s affecting me, but I am damn sure gonna find out," Holmes said. "Because if I can get better, I want it to get better.” 

Getting the nasty mold removed from her Housing Authority apartment is now a top priority for the determined 78-year old, who for the past 15 years has been slowed down by both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which has damaged her lungs.

When asked how long she can work for, Holmes said, "Not long. I’ll have to sit down." 

The walk took her a while, but on Friday, Holmes made it to a gathering outside her building complex where Congressman-elect Ritchie Torres encouraged residents to take advantage of new legislation passed by the City Council to help NYCHA tenants understand their rights to have mold removed from their apartments.

The new law will require the city to send NYCHA residents information about the new ombudsman call center. This is where tenants like Holmes can call an independent liaison, that is, someone who does not work for NYCHA, to investigate complaints of mold by public housing tenants.

Thanks to the new program, Holmes’ friend, Bernard Smith, was able to have the mold in his apartment at the Gouverneur Morris Houses eradicated.

Holmes hopes to have similar success in vanquishing her mold problem, one that she fears is even more threatening than it appears.

"It’s behind the wall," she said, speaking from her bathroom. "If you take these things off, I bet you it’s black. You know, black spots all over the place."

In a statement to NY1, Laura Feyer, a deputy press secretary for the city, said, "NYCHA works extensively to communicate with residents and takes the work of eradicating leaks and mold seriously.