HUD OFFERS $19 MILLION TO CLEAN UP HAZARDS IN HOUSING
Funding to include support of local programs to control prevalence of asthma

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is offering $19.6 million in grants to prevent and correct housing-related health and safety hazards in low-income housing and to support programs for the control of asthma among residents in federally assisted multifamily housing.

HUD is making these grants available through its Healthy Homes Production, Asthma Interventions in Public and Assisted Multifamily Housing, Lead Technical Studies, and Healthy Homes Technical Studies grant programs.

"The grants we will award under these four programs will enable thousands of families to live in healthier homes, and develop new ways of addressing housing-related hazards," said HUD Deputy Secretary Ron Sims. "More than 6 million families in the U.S. live in homes with moderate to severe physical housing problems, so it's critical that HUD focus on producing homes that are safe and healthy, one of our new programs. Our second new program will reduce asthma triggers in homes."

HUD is making grants available through the following programs:

• Healthy Homes Production Program - $10 million - This new, production-oriented grant program is modeled after the previously successful Healthy Homes Demonstration and Lead Hazard Control grant programs, and will enable public and private grantees to address multiple housing-related hazards at the same time. It complements other HUD efforts to mitigate multiple hazards efficiently, such as HUD's Green and Healthy Homes Initiative, begun earlier this year to make healthy and green retrofits in low-income housing in 14 communities by meshing separate agencies' and philanthropic resources.
  Applications due date: Monday, November 8, 2010.
• Asthma Interventions in Public and Assisted Multifamily Housing Grant Program - $2.6 million - These new grants will develop, implement, and evaluate multifaceted programs for the control of asthma among residents of federally assisted multifamily housing. HUD is targeting asthma because it is a common illness that especially affects disadvantaged populations, and because multi-pronged interventions, such as reducing exposure to environmental triggers, can help control the disease.
  Application due date: Tuesday, November 16, 2010.
• Lead Technical Studies Grant Program - $1 million - These grants will further previous research grants that have provided health and housing professionals with knowledge on how to reduce the number of lead poisoned children. They are critical for achieving the goal of eliminating childhood lead poisoning as a major public health problem.
  Applications due date: Monday, November 8, 2010.
• Healthy Homes Technical Studies Grant Program - $6 million - These grants will help develop and improve low-cost methods for identifying and reducing housing-related hazards. They will improve our understanding of the relationship between residential exposures by children or other vulnerable populations and illness or injury.
  Application due date: Monday, November 8, 2010.

HUD will award grants in these four programs to approximately 33 recipients ranging from $250,000 to $1,000,000. Applications may be downloaded from Web links provided on HUD's Funds Available 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.