Friday, April 29, 2016
By John Voket
More than $100 million in grants will be made available to help eliminate dangerous lead-based paint hazards from the homes of lower-income families, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced recently.These grants, administered through the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, are intended to protect young children from lead poisoning, as well as provide an opportunity for states and local communities to establish programs that assess and remediate lead-based paint and other housing-related health hazards.
According to HUD, unsafe homes affect the health of millions of in the U.S., of all income levels, geographic areas and walks of life.
The housing improvements made with these grants will help prevent illnesses and injuries, reduce associated health care and social services costs, lessen absentee rates for children in school and adults at work, and cut stress, all of which help enhance overall quality of life.
The grants are being offered through HUD's Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Program, totaling $43 million, and through its Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Program, totaling $45 million.
HUD is also providing nearly $13 million in healthy homes supplemental funds to promote, identify and remediate additional housing-related health hazards.
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.
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