East Harlem — It’s been six months since two community groups and the New York Housing Authority signed a landmark settlement agreement to address mold and moisture problems in public housing units and three months since a federal judge ordered the new rules into effect.

The New York City Housing Authority will take majors steps to address the city’s severe and pervasive mold and moisture problem in its public housing stock, thanks to a settlement agreement reached today in a class action lawsuit filed by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the National Center for Law and Economic Justice on behalf of affected tenants. This is especially good news for residents with asthma, particularly children and the elderly, whose health has been suffering as a result of mold in their apartments. (click link for more)

On New Year’s Eve last year, Rossana de la Cuadra wasn’t celebrating. She was in the hospital with her six-year-old daughter, Amanda Santos, who was experiencing yet another severe asthma attack. An inspection of the family’s apartment, in the city-owned Van Dyke building in East New York, Brooklyn, revealed a possible threat to Amanda’s health: heavy mold growth in the bathroom and moisture on the walls, including in Amanda’s bedroom. (click link for more)

EXCLUSIVE: The federal judicial intervention is seen as a step toward resolving NYCHA’s inability to tackle an issue that affects hundreds of tenants citywide. Tenants and their attorneys can now go directly to a judge to slap financial penalties on the agency if it doesn’t get the job done right. (click link for more)