Ennis Lahoz, a Hunts Point mother of five who has lived at the Bruckner Boulevard Apartments for six years, says she and her children have been living with visible and hidden mold for months, and that one of her youngest developed a swollen, bright red eye that a family doctor attributed to mold exposure, according to a Hoodline report citing News 12 New York.
Lahoz says she initially flagged the issue to building operator Community Access and was told the problem was 'dust.' A later inspection in February confirmed elevated mold inside kitchen and bathroom vents. The building's chief operating officer, Lorraine Coleman, told News 12 that Community Access uses outside professionals to test and remediate reported problems. The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) said it was 'deeply concerned' and is looking into the case urgently.
The 215-unit Bruckner Boulevard Apartments opened in 2020 as supportive housing for low-income families, families leaving shelter, and individuals with mental-health concerns. The building has been the subject of broader complaints; the Hunts Point Express previously reported on 580 emergency calls in a 12-month span tied to the address, which prompted a Community Board 2 review.