We ensure that landlords make the renovations necessary to protect all of New York City's children from the impact of lead paint, remove mold and protect all residents from environmental asthma triggers.

Lead Paint Poisoning Legal Efforts

Lead paint was banned for residential use in New York City in 1960 and in the nation in 1978. However, New York City still has the highest percentage of pre-1960 (63.5%) residential housing in the nation. According to the New York City Department of Health approximately 600,000 New York City children under seven years of age are at risk of lead poisoning. Legal services are critical to ensuring that all landlords make the renovations necessary to prevent lead poisoning.

Matthew J. Chachere, one of the city's top lead paint experts, spearheaded class action lawsuits to protect children from lead poisoning.

After finding the city "in contempt" four times, the city was pushed to pass Local Law 1, a powerful law that dramatically increased public awareness and prevention.

NMIC's lawyers led a landmark class action suit on lead standards that resulted in passage of Local Law One of 2004, which effectively ended the weak and inadequate responses to unsafe lead conditions that previously dominated city policy. We continue to monitor the City's implementation of this law through our work training tenants and our partnership with the NYC Coalition to End Lead Paint Poisoning.

For more information on our Lead Safe house and/or our Lead Poisoning Prevention Workshops, click here.

For more information: Contact Mathew J. Chachere at 212-822-8309.