CITY OF GREENSBORO                                                                   Contact: Mark Cranford
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                              Phone: (336) 373-3624
        

City Receives $3 Million Grant
To Continue Lead Safe Housing Program

GREENSBORO, NC (September 17, 2007) – The City of Greensboro has received a $3 million grant to continue funding the Lead Safe Housing Program, which helps protect children in low-income households from lead-based paint and other public health and safety hazards. The grant was part of more than $143 million in grants announced recently by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The Greensboro Lead Safe Housing Program began in July of 2002. Since that time, the Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) has tested and treated lead hazards in more than 480 homes. 

The City will use the HUD grant for:
    • Testing and remediation of lead-based paint hazards in privately owned low-income homes and rental properties
    • Community education and outreach
    • Job training for lead hazard control workers, and 
    • Collecting and analyzing data to measure program success.

A comprehensive, community-based plan, Greensboro’s Lead Safe Housing Program identifies and controls lead-based paint hazards in eligible homes. The focus of the program is to prevent the incidence of childhood lead poisoning by promoting public awareness and creating healthy living conditions for children. 

“Lead is an insidious hazard, one that is a great danger to children,” said Andy Scott, director of the Department of Housing and Community Development. “This grant will allow the City and its community partners to continue their great work in reducing the threat in Greensboro.”

Lead-based paint hazards, typically found in homes built before 1978, can cause health and learning problems for young children, especially those under the age of six.

For more information, call Mark Cranford, Lead Safe Housing Program Administrator, at (336) 373-3624.

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The City of Greensboro works in partnership with the community to build an increased quality of life for all residents by fostering an environment where inclusion, diversity, and trust are valued.  As the seventh largest employer in Greensboro, the City has a dedicated professional staff of 2700 employees who maintain four core values of honesty, integrity, stewardship, and respect.  The City of Greensboro is governed by a council-manager form of government where a mayor and eight council members act as the legislative body.  For more information on the City of Greensboro, please visit us online at www.greensboro-nc.gov.