WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today declared that it is making 
more than $100 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 establish programs to control health and safety hazards by assessing and remediating lead-based paint and other housing related health hazards.
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.
The grants to States and local governments are being offered through HUD’s Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Program totalling $43 million, and its Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Program, totalling $45 million. In these grant programs, HUD is providing nearly $13 million in healthy homes supplemental funds to promote identify and remediate additional housing related health hazards in homes with lead based paint hazards.
