Patton describes first night in public housing

The top federal housing official in New York is getting an up-close look at the city's troubled public housing developments.

Regional Housing and Urban Development Administrator Lynne Patton is spending the next four weeks living in four different New York City public housing buildings.

Patton moved into the Patterson Houses in the Mott Haven section of The Bronx on Monday.

She is staying with resident Gladys Sanchez and her children. She attended a pizza party and an aerobics class in the community room.

"She has made me feel completely at home," said Patton during FOX 5 NY morning program, 'Good Day New York.'

The only downside was the uncomfortable innflatable mattress that Patton brought with her. 

"My neck is a little tight, but otherwise it was fantastic," said Patton.

By living in the NYCHA apartment Patton is getting a first-hand look of the difficulties residents face.

"She has this brown water that she collected just the other day from a leak in her kitchen. It has a putrid odor. It's coming from the apartment upstairs," said Patton.

"I hope she'll be able to take this information back to her office and sh'ell be able to go visit other families and collect other information so she can discuss with her bosses and see what the next steps will be," said Sanchez.

Patton's move comes after HUD announced last month that it will appoint a monitor to oversee NYCHA.