HUD AWARDS NEARLY $5.5 MILLION IN GRANTS TO PROTECT THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN IN WISCONSIN FROM LEAD AND OTHER HOME HAZARDS
Funding to make low-income housing safer and healthier

CHICAGO - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today awarded a total of $5,480,000 in grants to two local projects in Wisconsin to conduct a wide range of activities intended to protect children and families from potentially dangerous lead-based paint and other home health and safety hazards.

The grant funding announced today will clean up lead and other health hazards in nearly 6,000 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 residents," 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," said Jon Gant, Director of HUD's Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control. "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 our efforts to help make the nation's housing healthy and sustainable."

"These funds will help ensure the family home is the safe and healthy sanctuary it should be for families in Wisconsin," said Antonio R. Riley, HUD's Midwest Regional Administrator.

Project Descriptions:

The Kenosha/Racine Lead-Free Communities Partnership is awarded $2,300,000 in Lead Based Paint Hazard Control grant program funding and $180,000 in healthy homes supplemental funding for the identification and reduction of lead and healthy homes hazards in 140 housing units. The Kenosha/Racine Lead Free Communities Partnership will partner with multiple city and county government agencies, private owners of housing units, private contractors, community non-profit agencies, higher education and the faith community. Contact Person: Anna McCreery, Project Coordinator (262) 605-6721.

The City of Milwaukee Community Relations-Social Development Commission is awarded $3,000,000 in Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration grant program funding to lead hazard in 221 housing units, providing lead-safe homes for low-come families and children. The Community Relations-Social Development Commission will partner with the City of Milwaukee Health Department to expand the impact of both agencies on eradicating lead hazards in housing across the city. Contact Person: Ms. Lisa Acheson (414) 286-2388.

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. HUD is also providing over $5.3 million to help communities transform their lead hazard control programs to address multiple housing-related hazards.

Grant program abbreviations are as follows:

LBPHC - Lead Based Paint Hazard Control Grant Program
(includes Healthy Homes Initiative supplemental funding, as applicable)

LHRD - Lead Based Paint Hazard Reduction Demonstration Grant Program

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