Washington, D.C.–(HISPANIC PR WIRE)–February 14, 2003–Congressional leaders agreed yesterday to fund a new federal grant program targeting the elimination of lead hazards in high-risk areas across the country. The $50 million program, administered through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is additive to the HUD budget and the overall HUD lead program, and represents an increase of almost 40% in HUD’s resources targeted to lead hazard remediation.
“Senators Mikulski and Bond led a great bipartisan effort in Congress to ensure funding for this important program,” commented Children’s Health Forum founder Dr. Benjamin Hooks. “The grants they have helped create will go directly where they are most needed and most effective: proactive programs in at-risk cities.”
Elevated blood lead levels in young children can lower IQ and cause learning disabilities, developmental delays, and behavioral problems. Extremely high levels can result in seizures, coma, and even death. Minority and low-income children are disproportionately affected; one in five African American children living in older homes has elevated blood lead levels.
The problem is all the more disturbing because it is entirely preventable. The Centers for Disease Control recently released new figures showing that over the last decade the overall incidence of lead poisoning has significantly decreased, to an estimated 300,000 cases. Great progress has been made in cities like Boston and Baltimore, where local governments and communities have taken an aggressive approach to lead hazard education, remediation, and enforcement. The new HUD funding will allow additional cities to pursue similar efforts.
The funding, included in the Conference Agreement on the Omnibus Appropriations bill, will go to cities with the greatest number of pre-1940 units of rental housing and disproportionately high numbers of documented cases of lead-poisoned children. Grants will be a minimum of $2 million each, and recipient cities will be required to provide a 25% match of federal funding.
The legislation requires that 90% of funds be used exclusively for inspections, risk assessment, lead hazard abatement, interim controls, and the costs of temporary family relocations. Grantees must use the funds to target privately owned units and multifamily buildings occupied by low-income families.
Dr. Hooks responded to the announcement by calling for President Bush’s support. “We expect the Bush Administration to come to the same conclusion as the U.S. Congress – childhood lead poisoning can be eliminated through effective and immediate solutions.”
In August 2002, two leaders of housing and social advocacy, Dr. Benjamin Hooks (former Executive Director of the NAACP) and Secretary Jack Kemp (former Secretary of HUD) founded the Children’s Health Forum, which urges immediate and effective solutions to end childhood lead poisoning. The Centers for Disease Control has called childhood lead poisoning one of the leading preventable environmental health risks to children.
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CONTACT:
Olivia Morgan
(202) 638-5788
