HUD OFFERS OVER $212 MILLION IN GRANTS TO CLEAN UP LEAD AND OTHER HOUSING-RELATED HEALTH HAZARDS
Funding to protect children from housing-related lead poisoning, asthma & allergies

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced that it is making more than $212 million in grants available to help eliminate dangerous lead-based paint hazards from the homes of lower income families. These grants are intended to protect young children from lead poisoning and provide an opportunity for states and local communities to set up programs to control health and safety hazards by assessing and remediating lead-based paint and other housing related health hazards.

"Making these grants accessible to communities around the nation will lead to healthier outcomes for families and children," said Matt Ammon, Director of the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes. "These grants will help to unlock the potential of America's future. It is all about the kids, and it's all about ensuring they have a foundation and an environment for life that contributes to their ability to thrive."

Unsafe and unhealthy homes affect the health of millions of people of all income levels, geographic areas, and walks of life in the U.S. These conditions affect the economy directly, through increased utilization of health care services, and indirectly, through lost wages and increased school days missed. The housing improvements that communities make using these grants will help prevent illnesses and injuries, reduce associated health care and social services costs, reduce absentee rates for children in school and adults at work, and reduce stress, all which help to improve the quality of life.

HUD's Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes promotes local efforts to eliminate dangerous lead paint and other housing-related health and safety hazards from lower income homes, stimulate private sector investment in lead hazard control, support cutting-edge research on methods for assessing and controlling housing-related health and safety hazards, and educate the public about the dangers of hazards in the home.

The grants to states and local governments are being offered through HUD's Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Program totaling $180 million. HUD is providing nearly $32 million in healthy homes supplemental funds to identify and remediate additional housing related health hazards in homes with lead-based paint hazards.

HUD requires prospective grantees to submit their applications electronically at www.grants.gov. Any changes to HUD-published funding notices will be made available to the public through a Federal Register publication and published on this government-wide portal. Applicants are urged to sign up for Grants.gov's notification service to receive periodic updates or changes to these grant offerings.

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and http://espanol.hud.gov.

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