Deals & development · 10/14/2026
Mamdani Names Erin Pilnyak Citywide Lead Compliance Officer
Mayor Mamdani appointed Erin Pilnyak to lead the Mayor's Office of Risk Management and Compliance and to serve as Citywide Lead Compliance Officer. She will coordinate lead remediation with NYCHA, HPD, DEP, DOHMH and city schools. She reports to Chief Counsel Ramzi Kassem and previously worked in NYPD risk management.
Published by Mayor's Office pressRead the original ↗
What happened
On October 14, 2026, the Mayor's Office announced that Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani appointed Erin Pilnyak as Director of the Mayor's Office of Risk Management and Compliance (MORMC). In the same role, she will serve as the Citywide Lead Compliance Officer. She will report to Chief Counsel Ramzi Kassem.
According to the release, MORMC looks for systemic and agency-specific risks, operational weak spots, fraud and waste before they turn into costly audits, investigations or lawsuits. As lead officer, Pilnyak will lead the administration's work to remediate and eliminate lead. She will work alongside NYCHA, NYC Public Schools, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). Kassem said the work covers lead 'in our pipes and paint.'
The release pointed to two earlier lead actions. In July, the Mayor announced $10.2 million for complete and permanent abatement of lead-based paint this fall at 63 more child care centers on NYCHA campuses. Last month, the administration announced steps to curb lead in school drinking water. These include more remediation and testing every year instead of once every three years.
Pilnyak was previously Assistant Deputy Commissioner in the NYPD's Risk Management Bureau and Deputy Director in the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice. She also advised law enforcement and government agencies, including the Aurora Police Department in Colorado. She began her career as a prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.
Key facts
- Appointee
- Erin Pilnyak, Director of MORMC and Citywide Lead Compliance Officer
- Announced
- October 14, 2026, by the Mayor's Office
- Reports to
- Chief Counsel Ramzi Kassem
- Partner agencies on lead
- NYCHA, NYC Public Schools, DEP, DOHMH, HPD
- NYCHA child care lead abatement
- $10.2 million for 63 additional child care centers on NYCHA campuses, announced in July, with work set for this fall
- School water testing
- Lead testing in school drinking water moves from once every three years to every year
- Chief Savings Officer savings
- $1.77 billion identified, including $94 million from contracts and $24 million from office space and leases
What it means
Landlords
The release announces no new lead rules or enforcement changes for private buildings. HPD is named as a partner agency, so watch for any coordinated lead efforts that come out of this office.
Tenants and voucher holders
Families with children in child care centers on NYCHA campuses may see lead paint abatement this fall at 63 additional centers. School drinking water is now set to be tested for lead every year.
Caseworkers
There is now one named citywide official coordinating lead work across NYCHA, schools, DEP, DOHMH and HPD. The release does not give a contact channel or say how clients would reach this office.
The highlights
- She will work with NYCHA, HPD, DEP, DOHMH and city schools to remove lead.
- July plan: $10.2 million to abate lead paint at 63 NYCHA child care centers.
Why it matters Landlords
No new rules were announced, but a citywide lead officer working with HPD signals closer attention to lead paint in housing.
What to do: Make sure your lead paint records and inspections are current.
Not known yet
- Whether the role will bring new lead rules, inspections or enforcement for privately owned buildings
- MORMC's budget and staff size for lead work
- Specific lead reduction targets or timelines tied to the new role
- How the office will coordinate with HPD's existing lead paint enforcement
Background
In NYC, lead paint rules for private rental housing come mainly from Local Law 1 of 2004. It covers older buildings where a child under 6 lives. Owners must send annual notices, inspect for hazards and fix them using safe work practices. They must also address lead hazards when an apartment turns over. HPD enforces these rules and can issue violations. DOHMH investigates cases of children with elevated blood lead levels and can order repairs. NYCHA handles lead work in its own developments.
Summary written by Bulwark from the Mayor's Office press’s announcement. The original story is at nyc.gov. This is general information, not legal advice.
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Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0