Lead and healthy homes funding made available by HUD to jurisdictions to improve the health and safety of housing.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced on June 17 funding availability of $520 million to state and local government agencies to protect children and families from lead-based paint and other home health hazards.
Lead is a highly toxic metal that may cause a range of health problems, especially in young children. When lead is absorbed into the body, it can cause damage to the brain and other vital organs, like the kidneys, nerves, and blood. Lead may also cause behavioral problems, learning disabilities, seizures, and in extreme cases, death.
According to the HUD press release:
This grant opportunity, which coincides with National Healthy Homes Month, is under HUD’s Lead Based Paint Hazard Reduction grant program. The program identifies and cleans up dangerous lead hazards and additional health and safety hazards in low-income families’ privately-owned homes. This grant funding includes $30 million of HUD’s Healthy Homes Supplements to help communities with other health and safety hazards in homes where lead-based paint hazards are being treated.
These investments will protect families and children by targeting significant lead and health hazards in over 40,000 low-income homes for which other resources are not available. These grants will prevent the developmental and other effects of lead on children, reduce injuries by children and adults, lower health care costs, increase school and work attendance and performance; and increase income and opportunity of the families whose homes state and local grantees will treat.
