GRAND RAPIDS – A coalition of 24 community organizations presented a position paper to the Grand Rapids City Commission on September 27 calling for cooperation to address growing housing concerns as a result of the recent changes in the real estate market.
A new report prepared by the Michigan Network for Children's Environmental Health, of which the Healthy Homes Coalition is a member, reports estimates the annual environmentally attributable costs of lead poisoning at $3.2 - $4.85 billion for Michigan residents.
Beginning April 22, all renovators, remodelers and painters working in pre-1978 housing are now required to be an EPA-certified renovator trained in lead safe work practices. This requirement applies to all renovation projects, not just lead abatement. Effected trades include remodelers, renovators, window replacement workers, painters, electricians, plumbers, and any other trades that disturb painted surfaces during the course of their work. Landlords who make repairs themselves are also required to have this certification.
The Healthy Homes Coalition will be hosting their Annual Meeting 4:30pm Thursday, August 5.
Get the Lead Out! and Healthy Homes are the cover story for the MiBiz Sustainability Report for this quarter.
National and Local Experts Urge Lead Poisoning Testing For Children.
50% of children in Grand Rapids are not being tested for lead poisoning at the critical ages of 1 and 2.
GRAND RAPIDS – The Grand Rapids Get The Lead Out! campaign has been successful on many fronts. The number of homes having lead based paint abated is increasing. Yet an alarming number of children are not being tested for lead poisoning at the critical ages of 1 and 2.
“In children, lead can cause nervous system and kidney damage, learning disabilities, speech, language problems, decreased muscle and bone growth and hearing damage,” said Joan Dyer-Zykowski, Kent County Health Department Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Manager. "The majority of children lead poisoned in Grand Rapids are between one and two years old."
The City of Grand Rapids Get the Lead Out! program is offering free lead training for professionals seeking to enter the lead hazard control, abatement and assessment fields. This is an opportunity for small business owners from the affected communities to receive free training to make them eligible for lead hazard control work funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The Healthy Homes Coalition is partnering with Home Repair Services to provide a Lead Safe Painting and Home Repair workshop for do-it-yourself home owners interested in making home repairs in a lead-safe fashion.
The Detroit Free Press published an indepth article on Sunday, May 16 that looks at the link between lead and learning. The article features a look at children's blood lead levels relative to their performance on MEAP scores later in life.
The US-EPA has launched a portal on its website where homeowners can find contractors who have been trained and certified in how to safely make repairs so that children are not exposed to lead hazards. The searchable database can be accessed by clicking here.
The Grand Rapids community has numerous resources to help rental-property owners make and keep their income property lead-safe. The Healthy Homes Coalition recommends that landlords take the following three steps at all of their rental properties:
- Assess the property for lead hazards.
- Fix existing lead hazards.
- Implement a maintenance plan, using lead-safe work practices, that keeps properties in good repair.
Assessing Your Properties
The Healthy Homes Coalition recommends that landlords start by having their properties assessed for lead hazards. Only when you know where the hazards are can you take action to fix them. There are both moral and legal consequences when a child is poisoned in your home. Not knowing about lead is not a defense for the criminal and civil penalties that have been designed to protect children.
Healthy Homes recommends that landlords hire a third party to get a combination Risk Assessment / Inspection report. This report will tell you where the lead-based paint is, and whether it is in hazardous condition, and will make recommendations for appropriate, yet cost-effective, repair. The Michigan Department of Community Health provides a list of currently certified risk assessors and inspectors.
If you choose not to hire a third party inspector, at the very least you should conduct a visual inspection at each of your properties twice a year. Be thorough, inspecting inside and out. Look for peeling and chipping paint. Watch for friction surfaces, like windows and doors, that are rubbing and creating lead dust. Make sure there is no bare soil around the home.
Fixing Lead Hazards
Making home repairs to fix lead hazards is a job best left to fully trained, state-licensed professionals. However, many landlords choose to make repairs on their own or to have them made by their maintenance staff or property management contractor. If you, your staff or your agents are considering making repairs, be sure to get training in lead-safe work practices. Lead-Safe Work Practices training courses are offered through the local Get the Lead Out! collaborative, as well as by others in west Michigan. See the News & Events section of this website for dates and locations.
If you are hiring repairs, be sure to compare at least three bids and talk to the contractors about what they will be doing to make sure your tenants and your investment will be protected from lead hazards. To find a contractor, consult the "Lead Removal" section of the yellow pages. Make sure you check each contractor's certification with the State of Michigan to ensure it is current. The Michigan Department of Community Health provides a list of currently certified contractors.
The primary sources for financing lead-hazard repair work for landlords in the City of Grand Rapids is the City of Grand Rapids Lead Hazard Control Program. This program currently offers landlords up to $8,000 per unit to make lead-hazard repairs. Eligible units must be in the City of Grand Rapids, either home to a child 0-5 years of age or vacant, and rented to a low-income family. For more information, call (616) 456-3030.
Implementing a Maintenance Plan
Even after you make repairs, an annual visual inspection is still recommended. Paint fails. Some repairs come undone. Remodeling can expose hidden lead-based paint.
Schedule annual inspections and make sure you and/or your maintenance staff are fully trained in lead-safe work practices. Doing so will protect you and your investment.
If you need further help figuring out where to start or what to do, always feel free to contact the Healthy Homes Coalition at (616) 241-3300.
Making sure children grow up in homes that are healthy and safe is everyone’s job! The Healthy Homes Coalition is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Learn more about specific ways you can help protect children. Connect with us today!
742 Franklin St. SE // Grand Rapids, MI 49507 // 616.241.3300 p // 616.241.3327 f // info@healthyhomescoalition.org
Special thanks to the Dyer-Ives Foundation for their generous support of this website. © 2006-2010 Healthy Homes Coalition.
