National Center for Healthy Housing

New York, NY

	Overall Rankings
	Metro Area (out of 45):
	Healthy Housing: 10th
	Prior Rank: 43rd
	Central City (out of 44):
	Healthy Housing: 9th
	Prior Rank: 37th
	Click here for comparison to prior report.
	Data source: 2009 American Housing Survey

Location Summary

Positive Findings: Compared to the national average, New York City-area homes had fewer incidences of water leaks from the outside, water stoppages, sewage disposal breakdown, room heaters without a flue, and problems with roofing, siding, windows, and foundations. Units within the central city were less likely to have water leaks from the outside, sewage disposal breakdowns, room heaters without a flue, and roofing, window, siding, and foundation problems. Areas outside the central city had fewer water leaks from inside, water supply stoppages, room heaters without a flue, and roofing and window problems. Rental units were less likely to have water leaks from the outside, sewage disposal breakdowns, window problems,  and room heaters without a flue, compared to the national average. Owner-occupied dwellings had fewer incidences of broken plaster or peeling paint, signs of rats and mice, water leaks, water supply stoppage, flush toilet breakdowns, room heaters without a flue, and problems with windows, siding, and roofing.

Areas for Improvement: Compared to the national average, dwellings in the New York City area were more likely to have evidence of mice, incomplete plumbing and kitchen facilities, and heating equipment breakdowns. Homes in the New York central city had a greater incidence of mice, incomplete plumbing, and heating equipment breakdowns than the national average. Outside the central city, units were more likely to lack complete plumbing. Rental units were more likely to have mice, incomplete plumbing, and heating equipment breakdowns. Owner-occupied dwellings had more issues with incomplete plumbing and inadequate kitchen facilities than the national average.

Community Information: The New York City MSA is comprised of Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester counties, New York. In 2009, the MSA included 4,264,437 occupied dwelling units, 67.4% of which were located in the central city of New York City. Of the cities surveyed, the housing stock of the MSA ranked among the oldest and least heavily rental for the entire MSA and among most heavily rental for the central city. The percentage of pre-1940 homes ranked 2nd-oldest (37.3%) for the entire MSA and 11th-oldest (44.0%) for the central city. The median house age in the New York City MSA was 1951. The percentage of rental units ranked most heavily rental (51.5%) for the MSA and 3rd-most heavily rental (65.2%) for the central city. Compared to other locations, New York City had a higher poverty rate. Its poverty rate ranked 39th (16.7%) for the entire MSA and 29th (21.3%) for homes in the central city.