Sanit chief has a new job: Clean up NYCHA

Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia, who was recently tasked with eradicating child lead poisoning throughout the city, was handed another assignment Tuesday — interim chairwoman of the troubled New York City Housing Authority.

“Garcia is a seasoned veteran tested at some of the most complex roles in city government. She has extensive experience in managing and reforming large, complex agencies,” Mayor de Blasio said.

“As interim chair, Garcia will work closely with NYCHA’s general manager, Vito Mustaciuolo, to reverse decades of disinvestment in public housing and operationalize the city’s agreement with the federal government.”

NYCHA has suffered decades of administrative neglect that resulted in chronically broken elevators, toxic mold problems, heat and hot water outages and lead paint poisoning in children.

A federal monitor will be appointed in the coming weeks to oversee the city’s reorganization of the public housing system, and Garcia will be spearheading the changes, according to the mayor’s office.

She will take a leave of absence from the Sanitation Department while she helps reorganize the country’s largest public housing system.

“I am going to work every single day to make life better for the 400,000 New Yorkers who call NYCHA home,” she said.

“There’s been real progress—now it’s time to go farther and faster. We have a plan to renovate tens of thousands of apartments and an agreement with the federal government to improve all of our key services to residents. I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and put these plans into action.”