HUD AWARDS MORE THAN $2.8 MILLION TO PROTECT MICHIGAN CHILDREN FROM LEAD AND OTHER HOME HAZARDS
Funding to make low-income housing safer and healthier

CHICAGO - The U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development today awarded more than $2.8 million to protect children and families living in Michigan from potentially dangerous lead-based paint and other home health and safety hazards.

The grant funding announced today is part of $93 million HUD is awarding nationwide to clean up lead and other  health hazards in nearly 7,000 high-risk homes, train workers in lead safety methods, and increase public awareness about childhood lead poisoning. Lead is a known toxin that can impair children's development and have effects lasting into adulthood.

"Protecting the health and well-being of children is a top priority for HUD. We know that housing conditions directly affect the health of its occupants," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "These grants will help communities around the nation to protect families from lead exposure and other significant health and safety hazards."

"We are doing everything in our power to ensure the family home is the safe and healthy sanctuary it should be for families in Michigan," said Antonio R. Riley, HUD's Midwest Administrator.

Grant summaries and amounts are:

The City of Lansing, Development Office will be awarded $1,728,605 in Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration grant program funds to evaluate 300 homes for lead paint and hazards, eliminate lead hazards in 200 homes; conduct outreach and education to reach at least 270 people through RRP training. The City of Lansing will be partnering with the Office of (Housing) Code Compliance, Lansing Neighborhood Council, Greater Lansing Housing Coalition, Ingham County Health Department, Capital Area Michigan Works!, Entrepreneur Institute, Teen Challenge, Youthbuild, Lansing Housing Commission, Community Organized Partners Addressing Lead (COPAL), Fibertech Industrial Hygiene Services, Franklin St. Community Housing Corporation, Healthy Homes University of the Michigan Department of Community Health, Capital Area Community Services and Baker Donora Focus Center.

The County of Muskegon Public Health Department will be awarded $1,000,000 in Lead Based Paint Hazard Control Grant Program funds $100,000 in additional funds to promote healthy homes initiatives as a new applicant to implement a comprehensive lead hazard control program in high-risk neighborhoods and census tracts throughout Muskegon County. The program will evaluate 120 homes for lead paint and hazards eliminate lead hazards in 75 homes; conduct outreach and education to reach at least 1000 people through community.  Provide services through a network of contracts and partner organizations and provide training 10 individuals in lead safe work practices, the Department of Employment and Training will train 20 low-income residents of Muskegon County. The County of Muskegon will be partnering with City of Muskegon's HUD Lead Grant and a sub-recipient of The Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) is funded by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through the Michigan Department of Community Health in this program.

Michigan total amount is $2,828,605.

With these grant awards, HUD makes it clear that providing healthy and safe homes for families and children is a priority. It's simple: you can't be healthy if your home is sick. HUD is committed to protecting children from these hazards, as part of the Department's effort to help make the nation's housing healthy and sustainable.

Through these grant programs, HUD's Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control promotes local efforts to eliminate dangerous lead hazards from lower income homes; stimulates private sector investment in lead hazard control; and educates the public about the dangers of lead-based paint.

Lead Hazard Control Grant Programs

Even though lead-based paint was banned for residential use in 1978, HUD estimates that approximately 24 million homes still have significant lead-based paint hazards today. Lead-contaminated dust is the primary cause of lead exposure and can lead to a variety of health problems in young children, including reduced IQ, learning disabilities, developmental delays, reduced height, and impaired hearing. At higher levels, lead can damage a child's kidneys and central nervous system and cause anemia, coma, convulsions and even death.

The funding announced today directs critical funds to cities, counties and states to eliminate dangerous lead paint hazards in thousands of privately-owned, low-income housing units. These funds are provided through HUD's Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control and Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration grant programs. To expand the reach of HUD's Lead Hazard Control Program, more than $4 million of this funding will support new grantees. HUD is also providing nearly $2.3 million to help communities transform their lead hazard control programs to address multiple housing-related hazards.

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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 espanol.hud.gov. You can also follow HUD on Twitter at @HUDnews or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD's News Listserv.