In November 2007, HPD was awarded two federal HUD grants to assist with
the reduction of lead-based paint in privately-owned housing in target
neighborhoods that showed the highest incidences of childhood lead poisoning in
New York City. HUD awarded HPD and its co-grantee, the
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), the Lead-Based Paint Hazard
Reduction Demonstration Grant in the amount of $4 million, and the Lead Hazard
Control Grant in the amount of $3 million. The funding is in
support of the Primary Prevention Program. HPD and DOHMH
partnered with two community-based organizations, Brooklyn Housing and Family
Services and HANAC, who assisted with community outreach, contractor training
and the enrollment of buildings for consideration under the two federal
grants. The grants are committed to treating 572
units. HPD recently requested and received a non-cost
extension of the grants’ contracts. The new contract terms
for both grants are November 2007 to April 2011. With the
six-month extension, HPD plans to treat and clear an additional 220
units.
The target neighborhoods under the two existing grants are:
- Central and West Bronx
- Central and East Brooklyn
- West Queens
There are certain criteria for eligibility under the federal
grants. Among these are:
- Buildings must be in good condition unless a rehab loan is warranted
in support of the lead grant work;
- Buildings must show a 15% positive reading for lead in each
unit;
- Buildings need to have units with children less than six years of
age either in full-time residence or visiting 6 hours a week on a regular
basis;
- Owners must meet certain income limits for tenancy who must be
households with incomes that are considered being at low and very-low income
households as established by Federal standards;
- Owners must commit to keeping the income limits and give preference
to renting to families with children less than six years of age for a period
of time after the work is completed.
HPD recently submitted an application to HUD for funding under the
Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Demonstration Grant 2010.
The City requested $4.5 million. If awarded by HUD,
the City will commit to treating 300 units in the most-at risk neighborhoods of
Corona and Ridgewood-Glendale in Queens; East New York, Flatbush, Borough Park,
Kensington-Windsor Terrace, Bushwick-Bedford Stuyvesant, and Greenpoint in
Brooklyn; and Wakefield, Morissania, Highbridge and Tremont areas of the Bronx.
