Andrew Friedman

Taking New Yorkers Breath Away

Tomorrow morning, Make the Road by Walking will publish a report with the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center on the asthma crisis in Bushwick. The report, titled Fighting to Breathe, is based on interviews with more than 500 Brooklyn residents who suffer from asthma.

Among the report's major findings is that Bushwick's elevated rates of asthma are related to unhealthy home environments in Bushwick. The report shows that the great majority of surveyed asthmatics in Bushwick are living in homes with rat, mice, and cockroach infestations as well as mold and excessive dust. According to the study: 69% of asthmatics reported having cockroaches in their homes, 67% of asthmatics reported excessive dust in their homes, 47% of asthmatics reported have rat or mouse infestation in their homes, 30% of asthmatics reported the presence of mold in their homes.

"We are forced to live in unhealthy homes because irresponsible landlords refuse to fumigate and make necessary repairs to our old buildings. Even after taking our landlord to court 4 times, he still refuses to repair our apartment"

My 3 year-old son Christopher and I are both severe asthmatics. We have a big rat problem in the building. One night, a month ago, a rat bit my 8-year-old brother John on the leg. Then, a few months ago, because of a major leak from the second floor bathroom, my bathroom ceiling fell down on us. Now we have a major mold problem in our bathroom".

The report also shows that a great majority of asthmatics in Bushwick improperly treat their asthma. An alarming 59% of Bushwick residents do not use any preventative medicine to control their asthma. In addition, the study shows that few asthmatics in Bushwick use other standard methods for preventing asthma attacks such as asthma action plans, allergy tests, or peak flow meters.

In comparison to other communities, recent statistics by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene show that Bushwick and the neighboring community Williamsburg have asthma hospitalization rates 4 times the average of NYC.

"I can't stand to see my 8 year old son Carlos struggle to breathe everyday" said Bushwick resident Aide Dominguez.

To solve this public health crisis, HPD must improve housing code enforcement, and, in particular, crack-down on housing code violations, like mold, that trigger asthma attacks.

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Posted at 9:35 AM, Jan 30, 2006 in Housing
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