Westchester to Receive $4.1M in Fed Funds To Address Lead Paint Hazards in Homes
Real Estate In-Depth | July 31, 2019
OSSINING—At a press conference here. Westchester County Executive George Latimer announced that for the first time since 2010, the county will receive federal funding to conduct healthy home assessments and help low income homeowners remediate lead-based paint in their homes.
The county will receive a total of $4.1 million in federal funding. Westchester County has been awarded $3.5 million for the Lead Based Paint Hazard Reduction program, and $600,000 in Health Homes Supplemental funding from HUD. Applications are now available to property owners and rental building owners who qualify for lead-based paint remediation through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Lead Hazard Demonstration Grant Funds, and Healthy Homes Supplemental Funds.
The funds will be used to protect families with limited resources from health hazards that can be associated with lead-based paint, and provide assistance to those who may have homes with affected surfaces. The grant will allow for approximately 240 properties to be rehabilitated over the course of three years.
“Every Westchester County resident, regardless of their economic status, deserves to live in a home that is safe, healthy and free from hazardous substances,” County Executive Latimer said. “Because of these federal funds, Westchester County will be able to address lead paint hazards and perform healthy home assessments in homes across the county. Ultimately, these funds will help save lives by providing safer homes for hard-working Westchester County families.”
Property owners, including rental property landlords, are eligible if the property and the occupants meet the program requirements. The funding is income eligible, but available to be used in any community in Westchester County. Remediation efforts can include an assessment of lead and other safety hazards, and the replacement, encapsulation or rehabilitation of affected surfaces.
Ossining Mayor Victoria Gearity said, “Ossining residents have benefited from Westchester County’s longstanding commitment to ensuring healthy and affordable housing. This new program extends that commitment by providing our families with both resources and peace of mind.”
Funds will be awarded on a first come, first served basis based on a home inspection that determines the presence of lead. Priority consideration will be given to households with a child under the age of six, or a pregnant woman.
Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Planning Norma Drummond said of the funding, “Our affordable housing efforts have always included the rehabilitation and preservation of existing housing. Having these funds will allow us to once again have the resources to assist lower income households with their housing rehabilitation needs.”
Westchester County Commissioner of Health Sherlita Amler, MD, said, “On behalf of the County Health Department, I am thrilled that Westchester County is the recipient of this grant. This will help homeowners and tenants partner with us to protect children from the dangers of lead paint, joining parents and caregivers in this effort to remove the source of lead by replacing old windows or eliminating lead painted surfaces.”
She added, “Safely removing lead paint from homes will protect future generations of children from the negative health effects of lead. Lead is a toxic mineral that can cause damage to children’s developing brains and other vital organs as well as decreased learning and behavior problems. There is no known safe exposure level for lead.”
For more information about Lead Safe Westchester: https://homes.westchestergov.com/lead-paint