Salt Lake City is upping the ante in its fight against a silent threat lurking within the walls of its older homes, lead-based paint. In a push to safeguard children from the toxic legacy of past building practices, the city is deploying a $4 million grant, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), directly aimed at reducing lead paint hazards. Families residing in the city, especially those with kids under the age of six, are the focus of this initiative, as detailed by Salt Lake City.
Recognizing every child's right to a secure living environment, Mayor Erin Mendenhall stressed the importance of the new program, saying, "Every child deserves a safe and healthy home, and every parent deserves peace of mind knowing their home won't put their kids at risk," as obtained by Salt Lake City. With nearly 90% of Salt Lake City homes built before 1940 possibly containing the hazardous paint, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the grant targets low-income households making below 80% of the area median income, specifically, families with small children can apply for assistance today, who are the most vulnerable to lead poisoning.
This federal funding will empower the city to inspect and eliminate lead-based paint in as many as 300 residential units over the forthcoming years. These efforts will be managed by Housing Stability’s Home Repair Program, which already has a track record of helping hundreds with lead paint removal, as reported by Housing Stability Director Tony Milner. The program, besides addressing lead hazards, also provides no and low-interest loans for other health, safety, and structural repairs to qualifying low-income households.
The city has already rehabilitated more than 1,300 homes in the last decade, making a dent in the large inventory of aging properties. Most notably, with roughly 20,000 homes dating back to the pre-1940 era, the new grant is an essential stride in creating a healthier environment for Salt Lake City's families.
