Observations of Building Doors in NYCHA Developments

Findings and Conclusions

Between August 30 and September 8, 2022, Comptroller’s Office Audit Bureau staff visited 262 NYCHA developments and conducted a review of building entry door security. We found numerous instances where doors were propped open with bricks, rocks, or other objects to prevent them from locking. We also found that many door locks did not securely latch onto the door frames or strike plates, and in some cases it appeared that door and frame magnets intended to assist in securing the doors were missing or did not work. Specifically, we found 36.8% of residential building entrance doors were open and 40.1% of entrance door locks were broken.

Similarly, 37.5% of rear or side doors were found open and 28.5% of rear or side door locks were broken. Exterior doors that are not securely locked enable intruders and unauthorized persons to gain access to buildings and potentially put residents and authorized guests at risk.

In 2018, the Comptroller’s Office Audit Bureau conducted observations of NYCHA development doors and informed NYCHA of “numerous unlocked entrance doors and broken door locks” and recommended, among other things, that NYCHA should (1) repair or replace damaged exterior doors, (2) regularly inspect all exterior doors and maintain all doors and locks in good working order, and (3) ensure that when exterior doors are obstructed or unsecured, maintenance staff are made immediately aware of the conditions, and the doors are promptly fixed. However, based on the results of our current review, it appears that NYCHA did not implement all of the above-listed recommendations.

Our results show that the overall percentage of residential building entrance doors which were open and/or had broken door locks increased dramatically from 23.5% in 2018 to 57.9% in 2022. Particularly troubling is the increase in the number of broken locks in need of repair.

NYCHA residents and employees informed us anecdotally that doors were propped open because intercoms, locks, keys, and door release buttons do not work and because residents lose their keys and replacement keys are expensive. In one instance, a NYCHA resident informed us that the building’s intercoms have been broken for 10 years. In other instances, NYCHA residents and employees informed us that NYCHA had repaired doors and intercoms; however, they were soon broken again.

Additionally, we observed doors that were open because the automatic door-closer mechanisms did not work. Specifically, when certain doors were opened, they did not automatically self-close and securely latch onto the door frames or strike plates.

Recommendations

Based on our observations, we recommend that NYCHA should:

• Repair or replace damaged and missing exterior doors and equip them with sturdy, functional hardware;
• Repair or replace damaged and missing door-closer mechanisms, door release buttons, intercoms, locks, and keys;
• Engage with NYCHA residents and authorized visitors and NYCHA employees and contractors and communicate the importance of securing exterior doors;
• Regularly inspect all exterior doors and maintain all doors and locks in good working order; and
• Conduct a top-to-bottom review of its security and maintenance systems and procedures to ensure that when exterior doors are obstructed or unsecured, maintenance staff are made immediately aware of the conditions, and the doors are promptly fixed.