CITY OF PORTLAND WINS $1 MILLION HUD GRANT FOR HEALTHY HOMES WORK IN MORE THAN 375 RENTAL UNITS
Kids "can't be healthy," HUD says, if their "home is sick"

PORTLAND - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today competitively awarded a $1 million grant to the City of Portland to conduct a wide range of activities intended to protect children and families from potentially dangerous home health and safety hazards in some 375 rental units and conduct Healthy Homes outreach at more than 100 community events across the City.

Portland's grant was one of 51 grants totaling $127 million awarded nationally today under HUD's Healthy Homes, and Lead Hazard Reduction grant programs. The awards are expected to address lead and healthy homes hazards in more than 11,000 homes, including the 375 in Portland. In addition, the grants will train workers in hazard abatement and increase public awareness of the risks posed to children by lead and other home hazards.

The City will uses its $1 million Healthy Homes Production grant to in collaboration with the Multnomah County Health Department and REACH Community Development Corporation to complete environmental assessments in 200 rental units, complete healthy home interventions in 175 rental units, and conduct outreach and education at 144 community events.

"Protecting the health, and indeed the futures, of our children is a top priority for HUD. We cannot allow children to
be poisoned in their own homes," 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."

"With these grant awards, HUD makes it clear that providing healthy and safe homes for families and children is a priority," HUD Deputy Secretary Ron Sims added. "It's simple: you can't be healthy if your home is sick. There are far too many 'sick homes' in our communities, and these funds will target the worst of those homes. 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 grants, 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. A complete project-by-project summary of the programs awarded grants today can be found on HUD's website.

The funding announced today includes more than $114 million 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 $13 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. Finally, HUD will award $10 million in Healthy Homes Production grant funds to address housing-related health hazards, such as accidental injury, mold and moisture, and carbon monoxide poisoning,
through direct improvements that affect the health of children and elderly adults.

More information about HUD's Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control may be found on HUD's website.

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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.