Over 80% of homes in New Haven homes may have lead paint on the interior or exterior.
The city is now bolstering its efforts to remove lead paint from hundreds of homes.
New Haven received $7.7 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Lead-Based-Paint Hazard Reduction (LHR) Grant Program.
“This grant will allow us to bolster our current efforts to eliminate lead hazards and an additional 200 housing units to train and certify over 130 contractors, maintenance workers and property owners,” New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said. “So we have more people that can actually do this work, and engage in a robust education campaign.”
Residents who are having lead removed from their homes are being temporarily housed for free in a nearby hotel.
The largest threat lead paint proposes is accidental ingestion by children. They often consume the decaying paint through soil outside of the home, according to New Haven Environmental Health Director Rafael Ramos.
“If you live in a home, built prior to 1978, we can suspect that there may be lead in that home somewhere. However, the lead in the paint is not the issue, it's the condition of the paint,” Ramos said. “If you live in a home built prior to 1978, and your paint is starting to become defective, particularly if you have children, be aware.”
Lead poisoning can stunt children’s brain and intellectual development. Teachers and families may be unaware the child consumed it, Sen. Richard Blumenthal said.
“When teachers say, 'O h, you know, Johnny is slow.' Nobody's told the teacher Johnny ate lead or is eating lead. And that's the reason that his brain may be working slower,” Blumenthal said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports blood tests are the best way to detect whether a child has been exposed to lead.
The city of New Haven has removed lead paint from 251 homes since the Lead Poisoning Prevention Program began in 2019. It started with a similar $5.6 million HUD grant.
