JEFFERSON PARISH, La. — As part of National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, Jefferson Parish officials are reminding residents about its program to pay for testing and removal of lead in homes.
Residents in both Jefferson and St. Charles Parishes can apply to The Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program. The program began thanks to $3.3 million of federal funding.
Jonathan Whipple, JP lead safety program manager, said they've helped six people so far.
"So, that grant allows us to offer free lead inspections and lead remediation to privately owned, low-income residences," Whipple said, "The goal is to complete 160 housing units and, so far, we have done six."
One of the grant recipients was homeowner Bessie Matthews.
"They did a great job. Everything worked out real nice. I enjoyed their work. I enjoyed what they done," Matthews said.
Parish officials are urging more people to apply because they aren't sure if they'll be able to use the money after September of 2023.
"We really want to encourage folks, especially those who are living in older housing who have younger children who either live or visit the home, to contact us and see about whether or not you qualify for this program," Whipple said.
If your housing was built before 1978, you may qualify for the program. Before 1978, lead based paint was often used in homes.
Dr. Howard Mielke, professor at Tulane, has done decades worth of research on the dangers of lead exposure.
"I've actually worked with families in which the family dog died, and then they discovered that the children are poisoned, and the whole family got poisoned because they were sanding off the paint," Mielke said.
Mielke said he pushed to remove lead from gasoline in the 80s. He said lead can even be found in our soil.
"It's lead dust that's the problem," Mielke said.
That's why you should be careful when removing lead paint. Mielke recommends painting over it because if you breathe in the particles, they can enter your blood stream.
This can cause severe mental and physical developmental problems in young children, Mielke said.
"You can't reverse that," Mielke said.
Jefferson Parish said that its contractors are certified in lead removal.
From application to completion of removal, the process generally takes two to three months, according to Whipple.
"We do have the funds to relocate the family during the construction phase," Whipple said.
To qualify for the Lead Hazard Reduction Grant program, a homeowner or renter 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.
CLICK HERE to apply for assistance. All completed applications can be emailed to jonathan.whipple@jeffparish.net. For additional information about the program, call (504) 736-6262.
For more information about the Lead-Safe Housing Program, visit www.JeffParish.net/leadsafe.
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