Childhood Lead Poisoning: Solving a Health and Housing Problem

Lead poisoning is the Nation's number one children's environmental health problem. Children are poisoned primarily by ingesting lead from household dust in older, low-rent housing. The best way to prevent this situation is to make housing in which young children live or likely to live lead safe. The Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction and Financing Task Force recommended a set of lead-safe standards that would protect children and would be feasible for property owners. It also proposed that, if a resident child were found to have an elevated blood lead level, owners who could document compliance with the standards be afforded some liability relief. Complying owners would then become eligible for liability insurance and financing. HUD is working with State and local governments and the real estate, lending, and insurance industries to develop programs to implement the Task Force's recommendations.