December 12th, 2017
Under HUD’s Lead Hazard Control Grant program, more than 1,000 households responded to questionnaires about their experiences By Jonathan Wilson Since the days of Lewis Carroll's Mad Hatter, elevated levels of lead in the bloodstream have been associated with long term physical, neurological and behavioral problems in children. Research has indicated that large increases in children’s blood lead levels can occur as a result of lead abatement activities unless special precautions are taken to keep children away from the work area during intervention. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) used these findings to develop relocation and re-occupancy guidelines for grantees under its Lead Hazard Control (LHC) Grant program. For example, occupants are prohibited access to work areas or designated adjacent areas while lead hazard control activities are taking place. The guidance further states that residents cannot reoccupy a work area or adjacent area until post-lead hazard reduction clearance standards have been met. Further, residents are to be relocated from the building when LHC work requires more than eight hours to complete.