NEWS RELEASE

JEFFERSON PARISH, LOUISIANA

October 27, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JEFFERSON PARISH RECOGNIZES NATIONAL LEAD POISIONING PREVENTION WEEK (NLPPW)

JEFFERSON, LA – National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (October 22 – 28, 2023), is a call to bring together individuals, organizations, industry, and governments to reduce childhood exposure to lead by increasing lead poisoning prevention awareness.

Established to highlight the many ways parents, caregivers and communities can reduce children’s exposure to lead and prevent its harmful health effects, National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week also aims to boost awareness and understanding of what federal and local resources are available.

The Jefferson Parish Department of Community Development has partnered with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Lead Hazard Reduction in low and moderate-income housing. The Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program is available to homeowners and rental property owners who meet qualification criteria. Those who qualify may receive a grant for repairs designed to control lead-based paint hazards. Repairs may include replacing old wooden windows with new vinyl windows, vinyl siding and aluminum trim, covering porch floors and ceilings and fresh paint.

Additionally, the Healthy Homes Supplemental Grant can be used for identifying and remediating multiple other housing-related health and safety hazards such as mold, asbestos, home safety and pest control. View the 29 Supplemental Hazards Eligible for Assistance flyer, the Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program flyer and an informational video for more information.

To qualify for the Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program, a homeowner or rent must meet the following criteria:

• Housing was built before 1978
• Owner-occupied units must have one of the following: A child under the age of 6 who resides in the unit, or a child under the age of 6 who spends a “significant amount of time” in the unit, or a pregnant woman who resides in the unit
• Rental units do not require a qualifying child occupant at the time of assistance. The landlord must agree to give priority to families with children under the age of 6 when renting for 3 years following the completion of lead abatement activities. Vacant Rental units are eligible for assistance as well
• Total household income must be below 80% of area median income

If a home was built prior to 1978, it could contain lead-based paint. The older the home, the greater the chances of having lead-based paint or high levels of lead dust. Lead-based paint that is in poor condition or peeling, cracked, chipping, chalking or applied to friction and impact surfaces (such as windows and doors) can create a lead hazard. Lead dust and lead contaminated soils are also considered lead hazards.

Lead-based paint (LBP) and LBP hazard testing by a certified professional is vital for preventing and protecting families from lead exposure and is also a key part of HUD’s Lead Safe Hazard Rule. To learn more about completing key LBP evaluations to meet compliance with HUD’s Lead Safe Housing Rule for pre-1978 HUD-assisted housing, watch the Evaluating Lead-Based Paint in HUD-Assisted Housing videos. The videos include expertise from HUD and certified lead risk assessors/inspectors and cover topics such as:

• Lead-based paint inspection
• Risk assessment
• Clearance examinations
• Family interviews for environmental investigations of elevated blood lead level cases
• Reporting inspections, assessments and examinations

Throughout #NLPPW2023, learn more about resources to prevent and respond to lead exposure on the Lead-Based Paint page and HUD’s Office for Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes website.

Contact Dannielle Small, Jefferson Parish Community Development, for assistance or more information at (504) 736-6262 or (504) 736-6270.

For more information about Jefferson Parish, visit www.JeffParish.net. Residents can also receive regular updates by following the Parish on social media (@JeffParishGov) or by texting JPALERT or JPNOTICIAS to 888-777.

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Jefferson Parish Public Information Office 1221 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Suite 1002 Jefferson, LA 70123

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Gretchen Hirt Gendron, PIO