New city-county program targets lead paint in homes

A $4 million city-county program opened Wednesday to reduce the risk of childhood lead exposure and poisoning from lead paint chips and dust in older homes and apartments.

With childhood lead exposure from paint as much of a public health problem as lead in water supplies, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said the Allegheny Lead Safe Homes Program will identify, control and remediate lead-based paint hazards in older homes and rental units where young children or pregnant women live.

The program will use $3 million of a federal Housing & Urban Development grant the county received in June, coupled with $400,000 from the county’s healthy Homes Supplemental Fund and $350,000 each from Pittsburgh and the county.

“We’re glad that we’ve been able to leverage local funds and partnerships to make this program available in Allegheny County,” Mr. Fitzgerald said in a news release announcing the program’s start. “Through this collaboration, we’re able to make improvements to properties that will ensure that good, quality, affordable housing is available in our community that is also safe for our families.”

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto urged eligible residents to sign up for the program, which will provide participants with a leadbased paint inspection and hazard risk assessment, and renovations and remediations by a state-

certified lead abatement contractor for an estimated 175 housing and apartment units.

About 75 of those dwellings also will be enrolled in the Allegheny County Health Department’s Healthy Homes Program, which provides additional lead poisoning prevention education and outreach.

To be eligible for the program, homes and apartments must have been built before 1978 — about 86 percent of county dwellings are in that category — and occupants must include a child under 6, or a pregnant woman, or a child under 6 who spends a significant amount of time visiting the property. Children with an elevated blood lead level will get priority.

There’s also an income eligibility limit. People who own and live in their home must have incomes at or below 80 percent of the area median income (for example, no more than $56,950 for a household of four). Tenants must apply along with the landlord to be eligible, and at least half of the number of rental units in an application must be occupied by families at or below 50 percent of the area median income (no more than $35,600 for four people).

To apply, contact ACTION-Housing at 412-2275700 or email alleghenylead@actionhousing.org, providing applicant’s name and phone number. More details: www.alleghenycounty.us/leadsafeprogram