HUD AWARDS $2.9 MILLION TO PROTECT VIRGINIA CHILDREN FROM LEAD AND OTHER HOME HAZARDS
Funding to make low-income housing safer and healthier

RICHMOND - The U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development today awarded $2,955,733 to protect children and families living in Petersburg and Roanoke from potentially dangerous lead-based paint and other home health and safety hazards.

The grant funding announced today is part of $93 million HUD is awarding nationwide to clean up lead and other
health hazards in nearly 7,000 high-risk homes, train workers in lead safety methods, and increase public awareness about childhood lead poisoning. Lead is a known toxin that can impair children's development and have effects lasting into adulthood.

"Protecting the health and well-being of children is a top priority for HUD. We know that housing conditions directly affect the health of its occupants," 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."

The City of Roanoke Planning, Building and Development will be awarded $1,855,733 in Lead Based Paint Hazard Control Grant Program funds $100,000 in additional funds to promote healthy  homes to evaluate 100 homes for lead paint and hazards, eliminate lead hazards in 75 homes; conduct outreach and education to reach at least 100 people through and provide training to 15 individuals. The City of Roanoke will be partnering with Roanoke City Health Department, Child Health Investment Partnership, Carilion Halthcare, New Horizons Healthcare, Roanoke City Public Schools, City of Roanokes Code Enforcement and Roanoke Dept of Social Services in this program.  Contact: Mr. Bob Clement, Neighborhood Services Coordinator, (540) 853-5210.

With these grant awards, HUD makes it clear that providing healthy and safe homes for families and children is a priority. It's simple: you can't be healthy if your home is sick.  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 grant programs, 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. 

Lead Hazard Control Grant Programs

Even though lead-based paint was banned for residential use 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.

The funding announced today directs critical funds 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 $4 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.

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