U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Julián Castro, Secretary

Office of Public Affairs, Washington, DC 20410                        

HUD Number 16-034                                                                                         FOR RELEASE

Shantae Goodloe                                                                                               Friday

202-708-0685                                                                                                     March 18, 2016

http://www.hud.gov/news/index.cfm

HUD OFFERS OVER $100 MILLION IN GRANTS TO CLEAN UP LEAD

AND OTHER HOUSING-RELATED HEALTH HAZARDS

Funding to protect children from housing-related lead poisoning, asthma & allergies

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced that it is making more than $100 million in grants available to help eliminate dangerous lead-based paint hazards from the homes of lower income families. These grants are intended to protect young children from lead poisoning and provide an opportunity for states and local communities to establish programs to control health and safety hazards by assessing and remediating lead-based paint and other housing related health hazards.

HUD Secretary Julián Castro is focused on advancing policies that create opportunities for all Americans, including helping children and families secure quality housing by protecting them from the hazards of lead-based paint and other home health and safety hazards. 

“Since 1973, HUD has been leading the charge in lead hazard identification and abatement throughout the housing industry. We know that there’s no more important mission than to protect our children and give them the greatest opportunity in their lives. These important grants will help keep thousands of children safe and healthy, free of debilitating lead poisoning.

Unsafe and unhealthy homes affect the health of millions of people of all income levels, geographic areas, and walks of life in the U.S.  These conditions affect the economy directly, through increased utilization of health care services, and indirectly, through lost wages and increased school days missed.  The housing improvements that communities make using these grants will help prevent illnesses and injuries, reduce associated health care and social services costs, reduce absentee rates for children in school and adults at work, and reduce stress, all which help to improve the quality of life.

HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes promotes local efforts to eliminate dangerous lead paint and other housing-related health and safety hazards from lower income homes, stimulate private sector investment in lead hazard control, support cutting-edge research on methods for assessing and controlling housing-related health and safety hazards, and educate the public about the dangers of hazards in the home.

The grants to States and local governments are being offered through HUD’s Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Program totaling $43 million, and its Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Program, totaling $45 million.  In these grant programs, HUD is providing nearly $13 million in healthy homes supplemental funds to promote identify and remediate additional housing related health hazards in homes with lead based paint hazards.