Two Mitchell-Lama housing complexes in the Bronx — the Findlay House in Morrisania and Jamie Towers in Castle Hill — were among four buildings flagged for unsanitary living conditions in a four-year audit by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released on Thursday.
The two other Mitchell-Lama developments included in the audit were Cathedral Parkway Towers in Upper Manhattan and 753 Classon Avenue Housing Company in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights section.
The comptroller’s report uncovered an undercurrent of poor and underreported living conditions, such as mold and years-long deteriorating infrastructure, throughout all four developments.
Jamie Towers had stairwell doors and garbage chutes that did not close on their own, which poses a fire risk to tenants, as well as cracked walkways and an out-of-service elevator that has been flagged since 2020. At Findlay, a self-closing door at the building’s main entrance fails to close properly, which was a major factor in the tragic fire that killed 17 at the Twin Parks North West apartment complex in January 2022.
“Our auditors found that tenants are subjected to unsanitary, unacceptable conditions and that water leaks, collapsing ceilings, mold and other problems were left unaddressed sometimes for years,” said DiNapoli. “Homes and Community Renewal needs to improve its oversight of conditions at Mitchell-Lama buildings and monitor spending more closely. Tenants deserve nothing less.”
And instead of those conditions being fixed or addressed by private owners of these developments, the comptroller’s audit found that funds were used to instead secure bonuses and pay for parties, all while owners of the developments requested rent increases.
The comptroller’s office places a share of blame on the state’s Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) — whose Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) have had supervisory duties over Mitchell-Lama developments since 2010 — for failing to disclose…
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