Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control Program (OHHLHC) has awarded the City of Schenectady $3,190,570 in federal funding to address lead hazards in 225 housing units. Upstate New York counties and municipalities are receiving a total of $13,760,570. The City of Schenectady will collaborate with the Schenectady County Public Health Services (SCPHS), New York State Department of Health, Ellis Hospital, Family Health Center to address lead issues and conduct their assessments.
“Lead poisoning is a preventable tragedy that robs many families and children of their future,” said Senator Schumer. “We must do everything we can to eliminate lead from our homes and this major federal grant will do just that, by injecting much-needed funds into lead remediation and prevention. These funds are an investment in the health, safety, and future of Schenectady.”
Ensuring that our homes are safe and healthy for our children should be a priority for everyone,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Lead-based paint is known to cause severe mental and physical health problems and it is important to remove those hazards from our homes so we can keep our families safe. I am pleased Schenectady will get this funding that will allow them to access critical resources that protect residents from exposure to dangerous lead-based paint.”
“This funding is critical as we look to enhance public health in the Capital Region and across the state of New York,” said Rep. Tonko. “We cannot develop our neighborhoods and our economy at the local level without an environment where New Yorkers can build healthy homes and strong families. I am glad to see this grant come through to the City of Schenectady to protect our children.”
The OHHLHC Program aims to assist states and local governments in creating wide-ranging programs to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in eligible privately-owned housing. Funds will be used to evaluate homes for lead paint and lead hazards in order to assess and mitigate health and safety hazards in those homes, and provide training and outreach.
The Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control (OHHLHC) oversees seven grant programs under the Program Management and Assurance Division. The OHHLHC provides funds to state and local governments to develop cost-effective ways to reduce lead-based paint hazards. In addition, the office enforces HUD’s lead-based paint regulations, provides public outreach and technical assistance, and conducts technical studies to help protect children and their families from health and safety hazards in the home.