Skip to main content
Fulltext search
FILTER RESULTS BY:
RECOMMENDED IN RENT
Moving to NYC after college? Here's how to find a rental apartment
RECOMMENDED IN BUY
How buying real estate in NYC is unlike anywhere else
RECOMMENDED IN SELL
A guide to using a no-fee renovation loan from a NYC real estate firm
RECOMMENDED IN IMPROVE
How to make your NYC renovation more pet-friendly
BEST REAL ESTATE WEBSITE!
National Association of Real Estate Editors
BEST REAL ESTATE WEBSITE! National Association of Real Estate Editors
Brick Underground
Social Links
follow:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Flipboard
  • search
Brick Underground
☰ Brick Underground
Brick Underground
Brick Underground
☰
Brick Underground
  • Buy
    • Buy
    • The Market
    • Investing
    • New Construction + Condos
    • Affordable Housing
    • Co-ops
    • Negotiating + Financing
    • How to Buy in NYC Guide
    elementary school in NYC
    The Search
    How to figure out your zoned public elementary school when you are buying or renting in NYC
    Modern residential buildings in Chelsea, Manhattan
    Negotiations + Closings
    What is a post-closing possession agreement and what are the risks for buyers and sellers?
    431 West 54th Street is a co-op building that allows subletting.
    Investing
    Want to buy an investment apartment to rent out? Here's what you need to know
  • Rent
    • Rent
    • Affordable Housing
    • Roommates + Landlords
    • The Market
    • The Search
    • How to Rent in NYC Guide
    Young woman using laptop at new apartment, with moving boxes around.
    Roommates + Landlords
    Didn't get your security deposit returned in NYC? A new chatbot can help
    Lower Manhattan apartment buildings
    The Market
    Manhattan median rent rose to $4,625 in June for another record-breaking month
    A rendering of the six-story building in Park Slope.
    Affordable Housing
    Housing lottery launches for 45 rent-stabilized units in Park Slope
  • Sell
    • Sell
    • Staging + Open Houses
    • Negotiations + Closings
    • Getting Ready
    • How to Sell in NYC Guide
    Aerial view of downtown Brooklyn
    Sell
    Median sales price in Brooklyn climbs to $995,000 in the second quarter
    Downtown New York City
    Sell
    Manhattan deals rose to highest level in nearly two years, defying national trends
    Modern residential buildings in Chelsea, Manhattan
    Negotiations + Closings
    What is a post-closing possession agreement and what are the risks for buyers and sellers?
  • Live
    • Live
    • Neighbors
    • Kids + Pets
    • Neighborhood Intel
    • Products + Test-drives
    • Troubleshooting
    FlatRate moving brick underground
    Live
    How to troubleshoot your move in advance
    Sponsored By flatrate
    Distressed woman sitting in her apartment
    Troubleshooting
    Ask Altagracia: My live-in partner is abusive. How can I get out of my lease?
    Sponsored By Outerbridge Law P.C.
    Lazy stubborn English Mastiff pet lies down on New York City side walk and the dog won't get up to do his daily walk city yellow cab in the background stock photo
    Kids + Pets
    4 ways to talk your landlord into letting you have a pet
  • Improve
    • Improve
    • Small Spaces
    • Small Projects + DIY
    • Renovations
    • Design + Architecture
    • Products + Services
    • How to Renovate in NYC Guide
    mini splits apartments new york city
    Products + Services
    Yes, you can install central AC in your co-op or condo unit. Here's how
    image
    Products + Services
    Take back your deck! How to win the war with mosquitoes and enjoy outdoor living again
    NYC apartment building with AC units
    Products + Services
    My neighbor's dripping AC is driving me crazy. What can I do?
  • Boards & Buildings
    • Boards & Buildings
    • Boards
    • Finance
    • Insurance
    • Legal
    • Property Management
    • Structure & Systems
    • Sustainability
    Burned and Boarded Up Windows
    When should your board hire a public adjuster?
    Manhattan GM
    What should we consider when renewing insurance for our building?
    Facade of NYC buildings
    How much is insurance on a NYC co-op or condo building?
  • Advertise
    • Advertise with us
    • Sponsored Content
    • Experts
    FlatRate moving brick underground
    Live
    How to troubleshoot your move in advance
    Sponsored By flatrate
    Distressed woman sitting in her apartment
    Troubleshooting
    Ask Altagracia: My live-in partner is abusive. How can I get out of my lease?
    Sponsored By Outerbridge Law P.C.
    Building facades in New York in winter
    Roommates + Landlords
    Ask Altagracia: I withheld rent due to inadequate heat and I'm being hassled to pay it back. What should I do?
    Sponsored By Outerbridge Law P.C.
  • Brick Report
  • About Us
  • About Us
Email Address
Fulltext search
FILTER RESULTS BY:
New Main menu
  • Buy
    • Buy
    • The Market
    • Investing
    • New Construction + Condos
    • Affordable Housing
    • Co-ops
    • Negotiating + Financing
    • How to Buy in NYC Guide
  • Rent
    • Rent
    • Affordable Housing
    • Roommates + Landlords
    • The Market
    • The Search
    • How to Rent in NYC Guide
  • Sell
    • Sell
    • Staging + Open Houses
    • Negotiations + Closings
    • Getting Ready
    • How to Sell in NYC Guide
  • Live
    • Live
    • Neighbors
    • Kids + Pets
    • Neighborhood Intel
    • Products + Test-drives
    • Troubleshooting
  • Improve
    • Improve
    • Small Spaces
    • Small Projects + DIY
    • Renovations
    • Design + Architecture
    • Products + Services
    • How to Renovate in NYC Guide
  • Boards & Buildings
    • Boards & Buildings
    • Boards
    • Finance
    • Insurance
    • Legal
    • Property Management
    • Structure & Systems
    • Sustainability
  • Advertise
    • Advertise with us
    • Sponsored Content
    • Experts
  • Brick Report
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Advertise
  • About Us
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER →
Social Links Footer
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Search
Products + Services [ SPONSORED ]

How can our co-op board comply with NYC rules on lead-based paint?

  • Deadline for reporting lead-based paint inspections in pre-1978 buildings is August 9th, 2025
  • Immediate lead remediation is required in apartments housing children under six years
  • Failure to submit inspection reports to HPD can result in fines of up to $1,500
By MKM Environmental Consulting  | December 11, 2024 - 1:30PM
paint chips on hardwood floor

Lead paint chips can be poisonous if ingested.

iStock

SHARE:
Share to Facebook
Share to Twitter
Print
More...

What does our co-op board need to do to make sure we are compliant with NYC rules on lead-based paint?

In most buildings constructed before 1978, including New York City co-ops and condos, testing for lead-based paint is now a legal requirement. The deadline to submit information to NYC’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development is August 9th, 2025. 

“Testing needs to take place in every occupied apartment as well as common areas, hallways, and anywhere shareholders have access,” said Mike Koscinski co-founder of MKM Environmental Consulting, a firm specializing in lead inspections and testing. The responsibility for arranging the inspections will fall to a co-op board or their management company.

Lead is a harmful metal and can be poisonous if it’s ingested. The risk in apartment buildings is if lead-based paint is peeling or chipped. 

“We might see damaged paint on window sills or door frames if friction causes chipping or cracking,” said George Nadirashvili, partner at MKM Environmental Consulting. The presence of lead paint is particularly dangerous for children under the age of six who might get paint chips or dust on their hands and in their mouths.

Meeting regulations and ensuring safe practices

Your co-op building will need to hire an Environmental Protection Agency-certified lead paint inspector who can use an X-ray fluorescence, an x-ray device, to determine lead levels.

“If lead is detected we refer the building owner or co-op board to an EPA-certified lead contractor that can remove the lead paint safely,” Nadirashvili said. After remediation, an EPA-certified inspector will need to conduct dust clearance testing to confirm no hazardous lead levels remain.

If lead is found on a painted surface that is not peeling or there is no child under six that routinely spends more than 10 hours a week at the apartment, the board doesn’t need to take immediate action to remove the lead. However, MKM Environmental Consulting will provide the board with recommendations for lead-safe practices, such as monitoring the painted surfaces, and conducting yearly visual inspections of the surfaces.

If the inspection finds no lead-based paint, MKM Environmental Consulting will provide documentation so the board can file for an exemption from future testing with HPD. 

“We provide all the necessary paperwork to stay compliant—even months or years after the inspection,” Koscinski said. For example, if HPD rejects an exemption request, the team can get involved to ensure compliance.

Access and costs for compliance and inspections 

The co-op board will need to arrange apartment access in order to carry out the lead testing.

“As soon as access can be confirmed we can arrange an inspection within two to three days,” Koscinski said. Once on site, each apartment inspection takes about 30 to 45 minutes. “All the walls separately need to be checked, as well as ceilings, painted floors, baseboards, door components, window components, closets, shelves—every painted surface,” he said. 

The cost for a building depends on the size and number of apartments. Lead-based paint testing ranges from $250-$500, depending on the number of rooms and surfaces in the apartment. 

“There’s an opportunity for discounts if we are doing multiple apartments in one day,” Koscinski said. 

If your building fails to comply with the city’s lead paint rules, the fines can be substantial. Lead-based paint that is not remediated within the stated time frame can incur costs of $250 per day, up to a maximum of $10,000. Failure to submit the lead inspection report to HPD also makes you liable for civil penalties up to a maximum of $1,500.


MKM Environmental Consulting is an EPA certified lead paint firm and the leading environmental consulting company in New York City and New Jersey, specializing in asbestos surveys and inspections, XRF lead-based paint inspections, mold inspection, and air quality testing and much more. To enquire about services or get a free estimate email MKM Environmental Consulting at [email protected] or call or text 718-565-5555 or 347-212-0085.

Brick Underground articles occasionally include the expertise of, or information about, advertising partners when relevant to the story. We will never promote an advertiser's product without making the relationship clear to our readers.

topics:

cleaning health and safety painting
SHARE
TWEET
BRICK’S PICKS
NYC apartment building with AC units
My neighbor's dripping AC is driving me crazy. What can I do?
Historic brick facades of NYC apartment buildings
Getting overcharged by a landlord? Here’s how the Tenant Protection Unit helps rent-stabilized tenants
Apartment buildings in Soho
New Rent Guidelines Board report justifies a rent freeze, tenant advocates claim
Brooklyn apartment buildings
Understanding net effective rent: Here's how to calculate your real monthly rent
image
How much should you renovate your NYC apartment or house before selling?
Council Member Shahana Hanif hold press conference before the City Council vote on Arrow Linen spot rezoning.
City Council signs off on 10-story towers for Arrow Linen site
Follow Brick on Instagram
@brickunderground | #brickunderground
Brick UndergroundBRICK UNDERGROUNDREAL LIFE. REAL ESTATE. REAL NEW YORK.
Social Links Footer
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Search
Main menu footer
  • Buy
    • The Market
    • Investing
    • New Construction + Condos
    • Affordable Housing
    • Co-ops
    • Negotiating + Financing
    • How to Buy in NYC Guide
  • Rent
    • Affordable Housing
    • Roommates + Landlords
    • The Market
    • The Search
    • How to Rent in NYC Guide
  • Sell
    • Staging + Open Houses
    • Negotiations + Closings
    • Getting Ready
    • How to Sell in NYC Guide
  • Live
    • Neighbors
    • Kids + Pets
    • Neighborhood Intel
    • Products + Test-drives
    • Troubleshooting
  • Improve
    • Small Spaces
    • Small Projects + DIY
    • Renovations
    • Design + Architecture
    • Products + Services
    • How to Renovate in NYC Guide

Get more news you can actually use...

Email Address

Delivered to your inbox weekly - for free.

*By signing up you agree to receive occasional emails on behalf of our sponsors

Footer Menu
  • About Us
  • Advertise

Copyright 2009-2024 by BND Ventures Inc | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Ad Choices | Login