JACKSON ANNOUNCES $3 MILLION TO PROTECT CHARLOTTE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FROM DANGEROUS LEAD
Funding builds on remarkable success of HUD programs in healthy housing

CHARLOTTE, NC - Lower income children and families in Charlotte will live in healthier homes because of $3 million in funding announced today by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson. The grants are part of nearly $168 million awarded around the nation to help local communities to conduct a wide range of activities to improve the conditions of families living in lower income housing, including:

• To remove potentially dangerous lead from lower income homes;
• To stimulate private sector investment in lead hazard control;
• To educate the public about the dangers of lead-based paint;
• To fund model programs promoting healthier and safer home environments; and,
• To support scientific research into innovative methods of identifying and eliminating health hazards
  in housing.

"Every Charlotte family deserves a safe and healthy home to raise their children," said Jackson. "The funding we announce today will help protect children from dangerous lead, fund important research into healthier housing and
will create other public and private investment to improve the living conditions of thousands of homes."

The City of Charlotte will be awarded $3,000,000 in renewal funding to provide community awareness and
education, screening, continue the Lead Safe Charlotte HOTLINE, promote job training and employment to low-
income individuals and encourage actions to prevent childhood lead poisoning. Three Enterprise communities will be targeted with these efforts. These communities have the highest unemployment rate, the lowest average incomes, the most dilapidated housing, the greatest percent of rental housing, the highest percent of single head of
households and the highest percent of children with elevated blood lead levels. The Program will reduce lead based paint hazards in 350 units in which children are at the greatest risk of lead poisoning. The City of Charlotte has committed $800,315 of in-kind matching funds. Contact: Stanley Watkins (704) 336-2911.

Lead Hazard Control Grant Programs

The funding announced today is part of more than $145 million awarded nationally 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 the Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration grant programs. In addition, HUD's Operation LEAP (Lead Elimination Action Program) will provide $8.9 million to stimulate private sector contributions that will enable children to grow up in homes that are free from lead-based paint hazards. HUD will also award $1.9 million in Lead Outreach grants to support public education campaigns on the hazards of lead-based paint and what parents, building owners and others can do to protect children. Further, $1.7 million will assist local research institutions to study ways to drive down the cost and increase the effectiveness of lead hazard identification and control.

HUD's lead hazard control program has a remarkable track record. Since the program began in 1990, more than 26 million fewer homes have lead-based paint. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the
number of lead-poisoned children in the U.S. declined by half in the past decade. Today, HUD's program is active in over 115 communities, helping to clean up lead hazards in low-income, privately owned housing.

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 as
well as enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet and espanol.hud.gov.

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