Van Hollen, Cardin, Cummings, Ruppersberger, Sarbanes Announce $898,750 to Address Lead-Based Paint in Baltimore

U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Elijah E. Cummings, Dutch Ruppersberger, and John Sarbanes (all D-Md.) have announced $898,750 in federal funding to address lead-based paint in Baltimore, Maryland. The funding, awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), will go to the Housing Authority of Baltimore City for lead-based paint risk assessments, inspections, abatement, interim controls, and clearance examinations.

“No parent should have to worry that their children are being poisoned by the paint in their home. But for far too many families in Baltimore, this is a real concern – and ingesting even tiny amounts of lead can cause lifelong harmful health effects in children, particularly affecting the development of the brain and nervous system,” the Members said. “This funding will help combat this issue, and we will keep fighting to ensure that kids are safe and protected.”

HUD is awarding this funding to identify and reduce lead-based paint hazards in public housing units constructed prior to 1978 with at least one family with a child under age six, and at playgrounds or child-care centers that are part of the public housing development. This follows the $4.1 million in federal funding to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in Baltimore City housing units that was announced in December.

###