City HCD Department Receives Grant to Protect Children from Lead-Based Paint 

The City of Greensboro's Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has received a $3 million grant aimed at protecting children in low-income households from lead-based paint and other public health and safety hazards. The grant is part of over $67 million in grants announced by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Greensboro Lead Safe Housing Program is one of only two agencies in North Carolina to receive lead hazard control grants this year.

The Lead Hazard Control Grant will fund:

• Blood testing for at risk children
• Removal of lead-based paint hazards from privately owned low-income homes and apartments in target neighborhoods
• Inspecting and testing low-income housing for the presence of lead hazards
• Temporarily relocating families during lead control work
• Community education and outreach
• Job training for lead hazard control workers; and
• Collecting and analyzing data to identify housing with lead hazards.

HCD, together with a consortium of City, County and community-based organizations, has developed a comprehensive, community-based plan called the Greensboro Lead Safe Housing Program to identify and control lead based paint hazards in eligible homes. The main focus of the program will be to create healthy living conditions for children

“Greensboro and Guilford County have long recognized the importance of developing a proactive approach to addressing lead hazards in the community,” said Andy Scott, Director of the Greensboro Department of HCD. “This grant will allow the coalition to develop and carry out a multi-level program that will identify and reduce the incidence of lead poisoning of children in our community.”.

The Guilford County Department of Public Health expects to screen over 18 thousand children for lead based paint contamination and other hazards over the next three years. Follow-up action will include treatment, lead hazard control and housing improvements. Training will also be provided to workers in various lead control disciplines, linking these workers with minority/women contractors to establish employment opportunities.

For further information contact Cynthia Blue, Greensboro Department of Housing and Community Development, at (336) 433-7376.