Healthy Homes Making an Impact – August 2024

HUD Awards $6 Million to Protect Families from Home Health and Safety Hazards

Recently, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $6 million to two nonprofit organizations, and a city government to protect children and families from home health hazards. This is the second round of funding announced for this program in addition to the grant announcements made on April 9, 2024. This funding will help transform communities by fixing older housing, preserving affordable housing, and improving the health of children and families in these communities. “Today, we are renewing our commitment to improving the lives of children, seniors and persons with disabilities by eliminating hazards where they live,” said HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman. “These grants provide a critical resource to make homes safer.”

HUD is providing these grants through its Healthy Homes Production Grant Program, which takes a comprehensive approach to addressing multiple childhood diseases and injuries in the home by focusing on housing-related hazards in a coordinated fashion, rather than addressing a single hazard at a time. These investments will identify and remediate housing-related health and safety hazards in privately owned, low-income rental and/or owner-occupied housing, especially in units and/or buildings where families with children, older adults 62 years and older, or families with persons with disabilities reside.

HUD\EPA Compliance Review

Victor Powell and Deborah Roane, from our staff, recently visited Delaware for a compliance review with EPA Inspector, Karlene Freeman. This is part of the renewed Lead Paint Compliance and Enforcement memorandum of understanding to implement the federal action plan to reduce childhood lead exposures and associated health impacts.

Calling Young Artists!

HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (OLHCHH) is looking for artists around the country to participate in the 2025 Healthy Homes Calendar Contest. 

The purpose of the calendar is to highlight the principles and allow people to learn and to be aware of these potential hazards in the home, year-round.

Just Launched: Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes Pages

We are pleased to announce the launch of the Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes Programs page and Healthy Homes program page on HUD Exchange. These programs aim to help all Americans, especially children and persons who are at a higher risk when exposed to health and safety hazards, have a healthy and safe home. The programs focus on providing ways to: Develop healthier and stronger homes Find and fix housing dangers Understand homes as a system and how to make them safer, climate adaptive, and affordable Help communities develop capacity to improve homes These new pages provide key information, resources, and training on how to help communities gain access to safe, healthy, affordable, and resilient housing. New resources will be added to the pages, so visit often!

Lead-Safe Renovation Resources Now Available in 12 Additional Languages

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of “Renovate Lead-Safe” fact sheets and webpages for do-it-yourselfers (DIY) in 12 additional languages. These resources help increase awareness of DIY lead-safe work practices and prevent lead exposure when homeowners perform renovation, repair and painting (RRP) projects on their pre-1978 homes.

HHS Issues Division-Specific Language Access Plans from Across the Department

In November 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) joined agencies across the federal government in prioritizing communication in its services to the public by releasing its department-wide Language Access Plan. With the release of its plan, HHS took a giant step towards ensuring people with limited English proficiency (LEP) and people with disabilities have greater access to the life-saving services that it provides. Today, as a culmination of this effort, and in advance of the 24th anniversary of Executive Order 13166, “Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency,” the Department has released division-specific language access plans. This effort by nearly all HHS operating and staff divisions exemplifies the Department’s commitment to providing accessible, culturally and linguistically competent, and comprehensive health care and human services. https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2024/08/08/breaking-language-barriers-hhs-issues-division-specific-language-access-plans-from-across-department.html Spanish PR: Rompiendo las barreras del idioma: el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos publica planes de acceso lingüístico específicos para cada una de sus divisiones | HHS.gov

Funding

Lead Hazard Control Reduction Grant – HUD OLHCHH offers this program to help identify and control lead-based paint dangers in low-income households. Homes Supplement helps to address other home hazards. Application Deadline: 08/19/2024

Healthy Homes Production Grant – HUD OLHCHH offers this program to enable grantees to holistically address multiple housing-related dangers, instead of one risk at a time thus lowering healthcare costs and improving overall quality of life. Application Deadline: 09/03/2024

Lead Hazard Reduction Capacity Building Program – HUD OLHCHH funds communities to develop capacity to implement a lead hazard control program in targeted communities. Focused areas: workforce development, training staff and contractors, building partnerships and local coalitions, identifying target areas, and developing outreach and policies. Application Deadline: 09/04/2024

Foundation for Rural Service Community Grant Program Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) offers this program to support local efforts to build and sustain a high quality of life in rural communities. Focus areas include business development, community development, education, and telecommunications. Application Deadline: 9/9/2024

Senior Corps Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) AmeriCorps offers funding to develop or support community projects with volunteers that are 55 years and older. Application Deadline: 9/18/2024

About Our Office

The HUD Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes’ mission is to help all Americans, especially children and other vulnerable populations in low-income households, reach their full potential by making homes safe and healthy. Learn more.

Stay up to date on the latest Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes updates and resources:

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