MULTNOMAH COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT WINS $874,898 HUD HEALTHY HOMES DEMONSTRATION GRANT FOR COMMUNITY ASTHMA INSPECTION REFERRAL PROGRAM
Multnomah County is one of 25 organizations nationwide to win total of more than $13 million to protect children from lead paint and other household hazards

WASHINGTON - The Multnomah County Department of Health is one of 25 local projects to win a total of more than $13 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today to coordinate 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.

The County's $874,898 HUD Health Homes Demonstration grant will fund its Community Asthma Inspection Referral demonstration project demonstrate a novel process for identifying multiple sources of illness and hazards in the home environment – including allergens, asthma and respiratory illnesses, combustion products, pests, lead sources, mold, pesticide residues and radon - using a collaborative approach community-based organizations that work with low-income racial and ethnic minority populations.

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."

To grow up healthy, children need to live in healthy homes," said HUD Deputy Secretary Ron Sims. "Housing is both
a critical sector of our economy as well as a key source of wealth, security and stability for America's families."

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.

The funding announced today included:

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.

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.

HUD is providing an additional $6.1 million to help communities address and eliminate healthy homes hazards. For the first time, HUD will also award $2.4 million in Green and Healthy Homes Technical Studies cooperative agreements to improve knowledge of the effects green residential construction has on indoor environmental quality and occupant health, with a particular focus on children and other sensitive populations in low income households. Finally, HUD will award over $4 million in Healthy Homes Technical Studies cooperative agreements to improve methods to protect children and other sensitive populations from residential hazards.

Today's grant winners include:

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