House Appropriations
Committee Recommends HUD Funding Levels for FY 2005
On July 22, the House Appropriations Committee reported
out its recommendations for FY05 VA-HUD appropriations, which includes $167
million for HUD’s Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control. This
is $28 million above the President’s FY05 request but $6.9 million below
the FY04 level. Of this $167 million, $138.3 million was designated for the
Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control grant program, $9.9 million for Healthy Homes
grants, $8.9 million for Operation LEAP grants, and $9.9 million for technical
assistance and support to state and local agencies. These allocations would
leave Healthy Homes grants at the same level since FY1999. The House bill would
also eliminate the separate $50 million “Special Demonstration grants”
program that targets lead hazard control grants to the cities with the greatest
need, while adding $43 million to the base Lead Hazard Control grants program.
Importantly, the bill comes close to fully funding the
Section 8 Voucher program by providing $1.49 billion more for renewal of existing
vouchers than the President requested to maintain the current number of vouchers.
The bill does not include the Administration’s “Flexible Voucher”
proposal, which would have converted the Section 8 Voucher program to a block
grant for states and eliminated key program rules that protect low-income people
(including, probably, federal lead safety and housing quality requirements,
as well as rules governing rent levels). It is unlikely that either house of
Congress will approve legislative change to the voucher program this year.
In order to fund the voucher program under strict budget
caps, the bill recommends cuts in almost every other program under its jurisdiction,
including other housing programs that serve low-income people (such as the Public
Housing Capital Fund, the Public Housing Operating Fund, and HOPE VI). NASA,
National Science Foundation, EPA, and other independent agencies would also
experience cuts. The full House has not yet acted on the VA-HUD Appropriations
bill. The current recess runs until September 7. The Senate Appropriations Committee
will take up this bill in September.
The nearly full restoration of the funding for Lead Hazard
Control grants reflects the work of lead poisoning prevention advocates around
the country who have let their Members of Congress know how important this program
is. Also, the fact that the voucher program is one of the few that received
significantly more funding than requested by the Administration is testimony
to the concerted efforts of affordable housing advocates.
Rhode Island Delays
Implementation of Lead Law, Passes Abatement Tax Credit
In late June, Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri signed
a bill delaying implementation of the state’s landmark lead law for one
year. The Lead Hazard Mitigation Act will now take effect July 1, 2005.
The law, passed in 2002, requires all owners of pre-1978
rental properties to inspect their properties for lead hazards, take a three-hour
lead safety course, and disclose lead hazard and lead safety information to
all tenants. Apartment associations, landlords, and other groups lobbied the
Rhode Island legislature for the delay, insisting that fully implementing the
law on July 1, 2004, would be impractical, as many property owners claimed they
have not had enough time to fully comply with the law’s provisions.
Lead poisoning prevention advocates in Rhode Island are
concerned that the law’s opponents have been emboldened by the delay.
Already, there are indications that some legislators will file bills in the
next legislative session to repeal sections of the Lead Hazard Mitigation Act.
In a positive development for both lead poisoning prevention
advocates and Rhode Island property owners, the 2004 General Assembly passed
a Lead Paint Abatement Tax Relief bill. The bill establishes a $5,000 personal
state income tax credit for property owners who undertake lead abatement and
a $1,500 credit for those who undertake lead hazard mitigation. The tax credit
will be available to the lowest income property owners first. Though the tax
credit is only funded at $250,000 for the first year, supporters hope it will
be popular enough for property owners to encourage the General Assembly to increase
funding in future fiscal years.
For more information on lead poisoning prevention efforts
and legislative developments in Rhode Island, visit www.leadsafekids.org/.
Federal Lead
Hazard Disclosure Law Largely Unenforced in Alabama
Alliance Releases
Guide to Federal Medical Privacy Law
The Alliance recently completed “Overcoming Barriers
to Data-Sharing Related to the HIPAA Privacy Rule,” a policy document
that helps state and local childhood lead poisoning prevention programs navigate
HIPAA so that safeguards to protect patient privacy do not undercut public health
protections. The paper explains HIPAA’s requirements and explores how
and when data can be used or disclosed without violating the law. Hard copies
of this booklet are currently available for $25 each from the Alliance. Contact
April Miller at amiller@afhh.org
or 202-543-1147.
Alliance Publishes
Framework for Adopting Effective Standards
for Lead-Safe Housing
The Alliance has just released “Adopting Effective
Standards for Lead-Safe Housing: A Framework for State and Local Policy Making.”
Many cities and states currently lack lead-safety standards for rental property
owners that are clear, workable, and protective. To be effective, lead-safety
standards must: 1) clearly define landlords’ responsibilities, 2) offer
adequate protection for children’s health, and 3) be practical, workable,
and sensitive to the economic realities of affordable housing. This guide is
intended to assist legislators, state and local health officials, and advocates
for children’s health develop laws and ordinances that establish effective
and enlightened lead-safe housing standards. To provide maximum public health
protection for the resources invested, this framework sets lead-safe housing
standards in three tiers:
Tier I includes a set of low-cost, prevention-based
standards designed for all properties built before 1978 that contain, or may
contain, lead-based paint.
Tier II offers alternative approaches, criteria, and
action triggers that jurisdictions can use to tailor requirements to ensure
lead safety in higher-risk properties.
Tier III addresses extremely high risk and dangerous
circumstances, such as the identification of a lead-poisoned child or significant
non-compliance by landlords.
National Housing Trust
Fund Discharge Petition Filed in the House
U.S. Representatives Michael Capuano (D-CA), Barbara Lee
(D-CA), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) filed a discharge petition on July 22 in an
attempt to send National Housing Trust Fund legislation to the House floor for
a vote. The bill currently has 214 bipartisan co-sponsors but is stalled in
the Financial Services Committee. A discharge petition is a rare tool used to
bypass the committee structure of the House when leadership refuses to allow
a bill to advance. To be successful, the discharge petition must secure 218
signatures.
The bill, HR 1102, would provide much-needed funds to local
communities to help build, preserve, and rehabilitate 1.5 million homes over
10 years and would provide safe, healthy, affordable housing to low-income families
across the country. The bill is modeled on successful state and local housing
trust funds, and has been endorsed by more than 5,000 organizations and leaders.
More than 23 million Americans with extremely low incomes
are forced to pay over 30 percent of their monthly earnings, often to live in
overcrowded, unhealthy housing. Much of this housing is plagued by peeling and
flaking lead-based paint, mold and moisture problems, and/or cockroach and rodent
infestations.
Affordable housing advocates anticipate that House Members
can begin to sign the petition on or around September 14, after Congress returns
from its long August recess. While discharge petitions like this one do not
guarantee ultimate passage in the House, they can generate momentum for consideration
of stalled bills. The most recent example of a successful discharge petition
is the one that moved the McCain-Feingold campaign finance bill to the House
floor—and ultimately to enactment into law. For more information on the
National Housing Trust Fund and the discharge petition, see www.nhtf.org.
Roach Control
Study Shows Benefits to Asthmatics
A new study has concluded that effective indoor cockroach
control can benefit asthmatic children by removing one of the most common triggers
of asthma attacks. Scientists examined whether pest control measures can reduce
roach antigen in the home and in turn help kids with asthma breathe easier.
An integrated pest management (IPM) professional took steps
such as sealing non-refrigerated food in containers, installing tamper-proof
baits, and spreading boric acid into cracks and other hiding areas. No high-toxicity
pesticides were sprayed in any of the homes in the study. Using this approach
produced significant reductions in roach antigen in the treated homes, while
antigen levels rose in the untreated homes.
Scientists Find
Old Caulking Contaminated with PCBs
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have
discovered that some old caulking used in multifamily housing, schools, college
residence halls, and government offices is contaminated with PCBs. PCBs were
used in some construction materials, including rubbery caulking, during the
1960s and early 1970s.
Banned in 1977, PCBs are persistent chlorinated hydrocarbons
that bioaccumulate in wildlife and are thought to cause a variety of health
problems in humans. PCBs are suspected to depress the human immune system, disrupt
the reproductive system, and cause developmental disabilities in children, including
attention deficit disorder. PCBs may also cause cancer in humans.
PCBs from old caulking can enter the indoor environment
as the caulking degrades over time. In Boston, researchers found that PCB levels
in the caulking of 8 of 24 buildings were so high that they exceeded hazardous
waste standards. Some experts also believe that PCBs from degraded caulking
and other construction materials can contaminate house dust, leading to easy
human ingestion and inhalation of the toxin.
EPA to Review
Drinking Water Regulations Related to Lead
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced
July 22 that it will undertake a thorough review of federal drinking water regulations
related to lead. The agency says several important issues have surfaced during
the ongoing controversy about high levels of lead in the drinking water of hundreds
of Washington, DC, homes.
The agency said that while it believes that the federal
Safe Drinking Water Act and its related regulations are working well overall,
there are several instances where the announced review is necessary. Under Congressional
questioning, EPA Acting Administrator for Water Benjamin Grumbles said that
the definition of “lead-free” plumbing materials and fixtures is
one issue the EPA will be exploring in-depth. Currently, EPA allows plumbing
materials with lead content of up to 8% to be designated “lead-free,”
even though studies have shown that fixtures with lead content at such levels
can leach considerable amounts of the heavy metal into drinking water.
The EPA also pledged to review other related rules. One
such rule allows water utilities to count some lead pipes as “replaced”
as long as they pass a test showing that they are not currently contaminating
drinking water. The Agency is also looking at how water utilities notify the
public when widespread high readings are reported, such as those found in DC
between 2001 and 2003.
Ohio
City Sponsors Lead Safety Courses for Home Improvement Store Employees
As part of Ohio Lead Awareness Week in July, Lead-Safe
Springfield sponsored a series of lead safety courses for home improvement store
employees who dispense paint and remodeling advice to the general public. Employees
were instructed on how to talk with customers about painting and renovation
projects in older homes, as well as the dangers of lead-based paint. More than
80 percent of homes in Springfield contain some lead-based paint.
Lead-Safe Springfield took the course to Home Depot, Ace
Hardware, and Lowe’s stores in the area, and also visited the Clark County
Fair to have direct interaction with homeowners, many of whom take on painting
and remodeling projects themselves. In addition to sponsoring the training courses,
Lead-Safe Springfield made sure that each home improvement store kept a stock
of lead safety pamphlets available to consumers.
EPA Announces
Availability of Pesticide Reduction Grants
The Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Pesticide
Programs is seeking grant proposals for projects related to protecting children
from pesticide exposure, reducing health risks by altering how pesticides are
applied, and other topics. Suggested grant projects include pesticide pollution
prevention, the use of integrated pest management techniques in schools and
homes, and pesticide-related child health issues. A list of projects funded
since 1998 is available at www.epa.gov/oppbppd1/PESP/regional_grants.htm.
All 50 states, the District of Columbia, state universities,
and federally recognized Native American Tribes that are eligible to receive
federal funding can apply for a pesticide reduction grant. Local governments,
private universities, private nonprofit entities, private businesses, and individuals
are not eligible. The organizations excluded from applying directly are encouraged
to work with eligible applicants in developing proposals that include them as
participants in the projects. A total of $500,000 in grants will be awarded
in FY2004, with a maximum funding level of $40,000 per project.
Robert Wood
Johnson Community Health Leadership Program
Calls for Nominations
The Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leadership Program
is calling for nominations for its 2004 recognition of ten exceptional individuals
“who have overcome daunting odds to expand access to healthcare and social
services to underserved and isolated populations in communities across the United
States.”
Those selected will receive $120,000 each, of which $105,000
will go toward program support, with the remaining $15,000 given as a personal
award. To be eligible for nomination and award, individuals must be community-based
health providers and advocates who have been working in their fields between
five and fifteen years. They must have created or significantly improved health
programs in communities where healthcare needs have been ignored and are unmet.
Nominations may come from government officials, community leaders, health professionals,
or consumers who have known and have been inspired by the actions of the person
they are nominating.
To nominate someone for this award, submit a Letter of
Intent to the Community Health Leadership Program no later than September 22.
Details on this and other steps in the nomination process can be found at www.communityhealthleaders.org/nom.cfm.
Job Listing—Director
of Research at the National Center for Healthy Housing
The National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) is seeking
a Director of Research. NCHH's mission is to develop and promote practical methods
for reducing residential environmental health hazards while preserving the supply
of affordable housing. NCHH seeks an action-oriented researcher with practical
experience managing and directing research on housing-related health hazards.
The Director of Research will have a critical leadership
role in developing a broad-based healthy homes research agenda for NCHH. In
general, this role will include: setting research priorities; writing proposals
for research and demonstration projects; directing and managing funded projects;
preparing documents for publication; developing and evaluating assessment protocols
and building guidance; and helping disseminate project results to a broad constituency.
The Director of Research will be responsible for managing a small research staff
and for keeping abreast of ongoing healthy homes research.
For more details, visit www.centerforhealthyhousing.org/html/job_opportunities.html.
To apply for this position, send cover letter and resume to: Rebecca Morley,
Executive Director, National Center for Healthy Housing, 10227 Wincopin Circle,
Columbia, MD 21044 or email rmorley@centerforhealthyhousing.org
by August 30, 2004.
Upcoming Conferences
and Trainings
The New England Asthma Regional Council (ARC) is sponsoring
a series of healthy housing trainings for contractors, architects, community
development corporation staff, and others in the New England region. The trainings
are designed to teach healthy homes concepts and practices to those involved
in designing, building, financing, and maintaining affordable housing. Trainings
will be offered Sept. 23 in Lebanon, NH; Oct. 12 in Providence, R.I.; and Oct.
13 in Boston. On Dec. 10, a special session will be offered for code inspectors
in New Haven, Conn. For more details on the trainings, contact Stacey Roberts
at sroberts@tmfnet.org
or 617-451-0049. ARC has also posted an important technical resource booklet
that provides advice on how to build and renovate affordable housing while minimizing
asthma triggers such as mold, dust mites, and pests like cockroaches and rodents.
To view the booklet, visit www.asthmaregionalcouncil.org/documents/READTHIS6.07.04.pdf.
The Mid-Atlantic Conference on Children's Health and the
Environment will be held in Washington, DC, on September 11. The conference
will provide information on topics including asthma, indoor air quality, lead,
mercury, and mold. The event is sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for Children's
Health and the Environment. Participants must register by August 20. For more
details, see www.gwu.edu/%7Emacche/events.html#chenv,
or contact Nonye Harvey at 202-994-1166 or 1-866-622-2431, or by E-mail at eohceu@gwumc.edu.
The Children's Environmental Health Institute will host
the 2004 Biennial Scientific Symposium on Children's Health as Impacted by Environmental
Contaminants on September 24 and 25 in Austin, Tex. The symposium will provide
an opportunity for public health professionals, education policy-makers, childcare
facility administrators, and others to learn how to protect children from health
risks related to their environment. Topics will include asthma, known and potential
environmental links to developmental disabilities and autism, and the prevalence
of chemicals in air, food, water, and the home. More information is available
at www.cehi.org/symposium_2004.html
or by writing Sarah Jones at sarah.jones@cehi.org.
The Housing Justice Network is holding its annual meeting
in Washington, DC, on October 3 and 4. The meeting will include several workshops
on environmental justice and environmental health issues, along with other topics
of interest to legal aid housing attorneys and low-income housing advocates.
For more information about the meeting, E-mail Steven Fischbach of Rhode Island
Legal Services at sfischbach@rils.org.
The American Public Health Association is holding its Annual
Meeting and Exposition November 6-10 in Washington, DC. The meeting will include
over 900 scientific sessions, a variety of special sessions, a networking reception,
and an awards ceremony. More information is available at www.apha.org/meetings
or by calling Anna Keller at 202-777-2476.
The Western Regional Conference
on Mold, Lead, Healthy Homes, and Children’s Environmental Health will
be held in Berkeley, CA, from November 17-19. The conference will cover topics
such as children’s environmental health; health education; lead hazard
control and healthy homes practices, programs, and policies; and conducting
mold prevention, assessment, and remediation work. More information is available
at www.leadmoldconferences.com/04pdfs/2004WesternRegConf.pdf
or by calling Kristin Joyner at 1-800-590-6522.
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