HUD ANNOUNCES ALMOST $1 MILLION IN GRANTS TO NEW YORK STATE TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM LEAD PAINT AND OTHER HAZARDS IN THEIR HOMES
Funding to Broome and Niagara Counties and Columbia University

NEW YORK - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today is awarding almost $1 million in grants
to two upstate communities and Columbia University to make homes healthier and to protect young children from
lead poisoning. The grants announced today are part of more than $13 million awarded to 25 projects nationwide to conduct a wide range of activities that include eliminating lead and housing-related hazards in thousands of homes; training workers in lead and healthy homes interventions; supporting research to improve home safety efforts; increasing public awareness, and evaluating outreach on controlling housing-based hazards. New York State
grantees are listed below.

Lead is a known toxin that can impair children's development and have effects lasting into adulthood. In the case of asthma alone, incidences linked directly to housing-related hazards cost the U.S. economy approximately $3.5 billion each year.

"Every child deserves to grow up in a healthy home and yet far too many continue to be exposed to potentially dangerous lead and other health hazards," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "These grants will not only help to clean up lead and other home health hazards but will support innovative new approaches to make all our homes healthier places to live."

In the past year HUD has awarded over $232 million in Lead and Healthy Homes grants, including $100 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act; $116 million in Lead Hazard Control and Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration grants; and $13 million in this announcement for Healthy Homes, Tech Studies and Green Initiatives.

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

Even though lead-based paint was banned for use in the home 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. However, lead is not the only danger threatening families and children in the home. Asthma is now recognized as the leading cause of school and work absences, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations.

The funding announced today includes more than $13 million to cities, counties, tribes, universities and non-profit agencies to eliminate dangerous lead and healthy homes hazards in thousands of privately owned, low-income
housing units. These funds are provided through HUD's Lead Hazard Control Capacity Building, Healthy Homes Demonstration, Healthy Homes Technical Studies and Green and Healthy Homes Technical Studies grant programs. Seven of the awardees are first-time grantees, receiving approximately $618,000 in an initiative to expand the
reach of HUD`s Lead Hazard Control programs and build capacity within the areas to eliminate lead and other home hazards.

The Broome County Health Department, NY will be awarded $100,000 in Lead Hazard Control Capacity Building Grant Program funds to expand equal access to affordable healthy housing for local families, provide employment opportunities, enhance the sustainability of the county communities, and improve the quality of life for the citizens
of the county. The Broome County Health Department will be partnering with the City of Binghamton, Town of
Union, Broome County Department of Social Services, BCHD Maternal Child Health, Opportunities for Chenango, Broome-Tioga Workforce, Tioga Opportunities, Broome County Council of Churches, and the Family and Children's Society. Contact: Ms. Sarah Walker, Public Health Educator, Lead Primary Prevention Program Coordinator at (607) 778-2809 or email swalker@co.broome.ny.us.

The Niagara County Department of Health, NY will be awarded $100,000 in Lead Hazard Control Capacity Building Grant Program funds to develop infrastructure, implement lead hazard control and complete the process of creating lead safe housing. The Niagara County Department of Health will be partnering with the Environmental Education Associates. Contact: Mr. James J. Devald, Director of Environmental Health at (716) 439-744 or email James.Devald@niagaracounty.com.

Columbia University will be awarded $799,947 in Healthy Homes Technical Studies funds to study household-
related injury and illness as it relates to the nation's growing population of elderly residents. Information on
household hazards and their effects on the elderly is very limited. This project is a household hazards assessment
and hazards reduction intervention study, using a pre/post-test design. The goal is to develop a reliable and low-
cost method to identify and mitigate hazards in households of disadvantaged elderly residents, using a community-based participatory research study design. Contact: Mrs. Rosa Rivera, Assistant Director, at (212) 305-0350,
grants-office@columbia.edu

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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.