Groups Given Grants to Remove Lead-Based Paint

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo on Friday awarded grants to local groups to remove lead-based paint and raise awareness of lead poisoning.

Cuomo granted $100,000 to the Esperanza Community Housing Corp. of Los Angeles, a nonprofit organization that will start a lead awareness program that will focus on low-income children and their families in South-Central Los Angeles.

Esperanza, along with other groups, will host a minimum of 200 lead hazard awareness presentations at day-care centers, parent organizations, health fairs and other forums. The group will also conduct blood-lead testing at local clinics and test for lead in homes, said Cynthia Harding, former director of the Childhood Lead Poisoning. Prevention Program.

Lead-based paint was banned from use in all homes in 1978, but many older houses and apartments still contain lead-based paint.

The grants are part of a $56.3-million national award to create awareness about the hazard of lead paint, to do scientific research on detection and control of lead-based paint, and to remove lead paint from low-income housing.