HUD AND EPA PROMOTE "HEALTHY HOMES FOR HEALTHY CHILDREN" AT FIESTA KC TO HELP PARENTS PROTECT CHILDREN FROM HOME HAZARDS
HUD presents $2.9 million check to Mayor Funkhouser for the city's Lead
Safe KC project

HUD Deputy Regional Director Eugene Lipscomb presents Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser with a check for $2,998,508 for a Lead Hazard Control grant that will help the city's Health Department continue its lead hazard control project, Lead Safe KC.

KANSAS CITY - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Deputy Regional Director Eugene Lipscomb and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Acting Regional Administrator William Rice today joined Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President Carlos Gomez at Fiesta Kansas City to promote an initiative "Healthy Homes for Healthy Children" that will help parents protect children from home hazards. Every year, doctors inform parents that their children have been poisoned by dangerous lead-based paint. Public health officials report an alarming increase in the number of children suffering from asthma triggered by common conditions in their own homes. Dramatically reducing the number of these tragic stories is the focus of an intensive campaign by both HUD and EPA.

"Doctors should never have to inform parents that their own home caused their children to be sick," said HUD Deputy Regional Director Eugene Lipscomb. "If we can educate young mothers about health and safety hazards in the home before their child ends up in an emergency room, then we've done our job. Our goal is
to protect children and give parents the tools they need to make certain their kids grow up safe and healthy."

"Children can spend up to 90 percent of their time indoors," said Acting EPA Regional Administrator Bill Rice. "This means they are at greater risk for health problems that come from indoor environmental hazards. We can work to empower parents and caregivers to take steps to protect children's health."

Students from the Lafayette Academy attended the event to learn about health and safety hazards in the home; information that can be shared with their parents.

In addition, HUD Deputy Regional Director Eugene Lipscomb presented Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser with a ceremonial check for $2,998,508 for a Lead Hazard Control Grant to continue the city's lead hazard control project, Lead Safe KC. The grant is part of the Administration's Recovery Act funding and will be used by the city's Health Department to conduct lead hazard control
activities in 244 rental and owner-occupied housing units in the Kansas City area. Lead Safe KC, and its partners, will complete a total of 150 outreach activities providing direct education and resources to 1,500 persons. The Kansas City Public Housing Authority will also be involved and reach over 1,800 Section 8 landlords with information and applications for remediation.

EPA Acting Regional Administrator William Rice today announced the launch of
its Healthy Homes Community Initiative. This demonstration pilot project will
bring together Kansas City metropolitan healthy home partners to provide educational information and services that will help assist community members to address concerns related to health and the indoor environment. EPA has identified several neighborhoods in the Kansas City metro area which have many of the risk factors associated with poor housing conditions and increased exposure to environmental hazards. The goals of this initiative is to model an approach which may be duplicated in other communities to educate families resulting in reductions in elevated blood-lead levels, asthma attacks, energy usage, exposure to household toxins, and exposure to other household hazards such as radon and asbestos.

HUD Deputy Regional Director Eugene Lipscomb stands in front of HUD's Healthy Homes for Healthy Kids model home and discusses HUD's Healthy Homes Lead Hazard Control Program.

HUD's "Healthy Homes for Healthy Kids" model home will be showcased this weekend at the Fiesta KC to help parents learn how to protect children from home hazards. Fiesta KC is being held this weekend at the Crown Center Pavilion on Grand Blvd. The "Healthy Homes for Healthy Kids" model home will be open Friday, May 8th, 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm, Saturday, May 9th, 12:00 pm - 9:00 pm, and Sunday, May 10th, 12:00 pm - 7:00 pm. Demonstrations on health and safety hazards will be conducted by local health agencies and community organizations. In addition, a children's play area will feature a balloon artist and face painters. Children will receive coloring books, crayons, growth charts, and paint paddles. Educational pamphlets and fact sheets about lead, asthma, mold and moisture control, carbon monoxide, pests and other health home hazards will be distributed to visitors of the "Healthy Homes for Healthy Kids" model home.

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HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities;
creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the
Internet and espanol.hud.gov.