The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has allocated nearly $90 million to reduce residential health hazards for low-income families, such as lead-based paint, carbon monoxide, mold, radon, fire safety, and asbestos. This supports President Biden’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan. Since 1993, HUD has invested more than $3.5 billion to safeguard children, families, and individuals from lead and other hazards in their homes.
“All families across our Country deserve to live in a healthy home free from toxic lead exposure and other dangerous home health hazards,” said HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman. “HUD continues to fulfill the important commitments that protect children and families made under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan, including the new funding opportunities we have announced today.”
The Housing-related Hazards Capital Fund (HRHCF) & Lead-based Paint Capital Fund Program (LBPCF) NOFO provides grants to Public Housing Authorities and Indian Housing Authorities to evaluate and reduce residential health hazards in public housing. HUD estimates that addressing health hazards like mold, carbon monoxide, fire safety, radon, and lead-based paint in public housing units will cost an average of $15,000 per unit. This is notably higher than the average of $3,500 per unit received through Capital Fund Formula grants.
Funding for the evaluation and remediation of lead-based paint hazards remains a critical need as most public housing units were constructed prior to 1978, before lead-based paint was banned from residential use and have extensive potential for lead-based paint. These grants are critical particularly for children under the age of six who are most at risk of suffering the devastating effects of lead poisoning. Funding opportunities like the HRHCF and LBPCF grants address urgent health and safety issues that Public Housing Authorities are often unable to address with their annual Capital Fund Formula grants alone.
These programs are part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which sets a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, and other investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
Additionally, to further HUD’s commitment to addressing lead-based paint hazards, HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes will soon release funds for the Lead Hazard Reduction and Lead Hazard Reduction Capacity Building grants for state and local governments. The Healthy Homes Production grants will also be made available, which continues to support a broad spectrum of interventions, including those addressing lead, to promote safer and more resilient living conditions, especially for families living in disadvantaged communities.
To read the full release for more information, click here.
