WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, and Congressmen Albio Sires (N.J.-08) and Donald Payne, Jr. (N.J.-10) announced today that Hudson County will receive $2,424,097.08 in federal grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to reduce lead hazards in privately owned low-income housing and protect children and families from the health risks associated with exposure to high levels of lead.

“We need to do everything we can to protect New Jersey children and families from the dangers of lead exposure in the home,” said Sen. Menendez, the ranking Democrat on the Senate’s housing subcommittee. “This federal funding is critical to enhancing efforts in Hudson County to reduce lead hazards for low-income families, making homes safer for children. I will continue to fight for additional resources to protect the health and safety of New Jerseyans.”

“Dangerous levels of lead in homes threaten the health and safety of families across our country, particularly in some of our most underserved communities,” said Sen. Booker. "We already know the potential health impacts of lead poisoning can be devastating to a child, so we have an obligation to secure the resources needed to address these hazards. This federal investment will help Hudson County mitigate the threat of lead exposure in homes and protect New Jersey families.”

“I am pleased that Hudson County has been awarded $2.4 million to help communities identify and eliminate lead-based hazards in low-income houses and create safe homes for residents” said Rep. Sires.

“Regardless of the source—paint or water—lead is toxic, especially for young children,” said Rep. Payne, Jr. “That’s why I introduced legislation to increase testing for lead in school drinking water, and why I’m so pleased that Hudson County has been awarded this funding to eliminate lead in the homes of low-income residents. Not only that, but the additional funding awarded will allow for a more comprehensive approach to addressing other unsafe and unhealthy conditions in those homes. I will continue to work with our congressional delegation to ensure that New Jersey receives the resources necessary to improve public health and the overall well-being of our communities.”

Hudson County was awarded $2,024,097.08 million from the Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration grant program and $400,000 in Healthy Homes Supplemental funding in order to address lead hazards in 150 low-income housing units.

Lead paint in housing presents one of the largest threats to the health, safety, and future productivity of America’s children. The Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (OLHCHH) Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration (LHRD) grant program is focused, in accordance with the annual HUD Appropriations Acts, on jurisdictions with higher numbers of pre-1940 rental housing and higher rates of childhood lead poisoning cases. The Healthy Homes Supplemental funding allows awardees the ability to more holistically address housing to protect residents’ health and safety. Grantees can use Lead Hazard Control funds to remove the lead paint in a residence.

Sen. Menendez sent a letter to HUD in support of Hudson County’s application for this funding.

Earlier this year, HUD adopted its final Lead Safe Housing Rule (LSHR), based on the Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act of 2016, co-authored by Sen. Menendez, which revised the definition of “elevated blood lead levels” to match the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) standard for elevated blood lead level and strengthen protocols by which the Department identifies and investigates lead exposure in federally-assisted housing.

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