LEAD · 1908
The Tenement RecordMAR 1908
Builders favor lead paint for tenements.
"Purity" and "durability" are watchwords as walk-ups rise from Houston to 14th.
Lead-based paint, prized for opacity and washability, becomes the standard finish across NYC's rapidly growing tenement housing stock.
ASBESTOS · 1932
The Borough BuilderJAN 1932
Asbestos lagging revolutionizes boiler design.
A fireproof miracle: high-rises wrap their pipes in the mineral wonder.
Architects of new luxury apartment houses on Central Park West turn to chrysotile insulation as the preferred lagging for steam risers and boilers.
ASBESTOS · 1953
Postwar HomeAPR 1953
"Floors of tomorrow" arrive in NYC walk-ups.
9×9 vinyl tile, set in asphalt mastic, promises maintenance-free kitchens.
Postwar booms across Queens and Brooklyn bring new mastics and sealants — asbestos remains a quiet ingredient in many.
LEAD BAN · 1971
New York DailyNOV 1971
City bans lead-based paint in homes.
Mounting evidence of childhood lead poisoning forces the Council's hand.
After a decade of pediatric studies, NYC becomes the first major U.S. city to ban lead-based residential paint.
ACP-5 / ACP-7 · 1985
The Permit ReviewSPRING 1985
NYC mandates asbestos filing before any DOB permit.
A new investigator class is created. ACP-5 and ACP-7 forms become household terms.
Following federal action on asbestos, NYC requires that no demolition or alteration permit may be pulled without a filed asbestos investigation.
LOCAL LAW 1 · 2004
Owner's DailyAUG 2004
Local Law 1: lead is the landlord's problem now.
Pre-1960 multifamily owners face new annual duties.
LL1 codifies an aggressive framework: owners must identify and remediate lead-paint hazards in pre-1960 buildings where children under six reside.
LOCAL LAW 55 · 2018
The Tenant TribuneJAN 2018
Mold & pests join the inspection roster.
Local Law 55 names indoor allergens as actionable health hazards.
After years of asthma research linking household mold and pest droppings to chronic disease, LL55 requires annual inspection and remediation.
LOCAL LAW 31 · 2020
New York DailyJAN 2020
Local Law 31 puts XRF in every turnover.
Lead-paint inspections become annual and unit-by-unit in pre-1960 buildings.
LL31 expands LL1's reach: an XRF-based investigation is required at every unit turnover in pre-1960 buildings.