TULANE UNIVERSITY RECEIVES $748,000 TO REDUCE HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARDS IN HOUSING FOR CHILDREN
Funds to be used for research on cockroach management to help control asthma

NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today awarded Tulane University a $748,610 grant to conduct research to control residential health and safety hazards with the purpose of protecting children and other vulnerable groups, such as seniors and the disabled. Nationally, $10.5 million in grants was awarded to academic and non-profit research institutions.

HUD's Healthy Homes Technical Studies (HHTS) Program supports new approaches to improve the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of methods to control housing-related health and safety hazards. The program, part of HUD's Healthy Homes Initiative, is particularly focused on the health of children and other vulnerable groups. The grants announced today supplement the $98 million in grants HUD awarded in May to protect thousands of children from lead and other home hazards.

"These grants will support important research that can help us identify and control those things in our homes that can cause or contribute to injury or illness," said Jon L. Gant, Director of HUD's Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control. "Children and seniors are more easily harmed by residential hazards, which is why it's critical that we develop cost effective methods of protecting them."

Tulane University will use its $748,610 Healthy Homes Technical Studies grant to develop a new integrated pest management (IPM) approach targeting American and German cockroaches. Cockroaches are a major source of asthma-inducing allergens found in homes throughout humid regions world-wide. This project will culminate in a controlled field trial employing promising techniques to assess their impact. Contact: Felicia Rabito, PhD, Associate Professor, (504) 988-3479, rabito@tulane.edu.

HUD's Healthy Homes Initiative promotes safe, decent, and sanitary housing as a means for preventing disease and injury. There is an emerging body of scientific evidence - to which these new grants will contribute - linking health outcomes such as asthma, lead poisoning, and unintentional injuries to substandard housing.

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and http://espanol.hud.gov. You can also follow HUD on twitter @HUDnews, on facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD's News Listserv.