2010-2014 Consolidated Plan - City of Champaign

PreventionDespite the hazards, lead poisoning is entirely preventable. The most common source of lead poisoningis exposure to lead-based paint, usually in a child’s home, due to hand-to-mouth ingestion (paint chips orsoil). Exposure can also occur if dust particles are inhaled from lead painted material (usually occurringdue to deterioration, abrasion, home renovation, or maintenance). Children are also exposed to leadthrough a variety of other sources besides lead-based paint, such as children’s toys imported from foreighcountries, air, food, water, soil, dust, and parental hobbies such as pottery and stained glass making.In 1991, the Center for Disease Control issued guidelines for identifying children with lead poisoning. Itrecommended that all young children be screened for lead in their blood. Those identified with bloodlead poisoning would receive intervention to remove the source of the poisoning and reduce the bloodlead level.The problem of lead poisoning has increased so dramatically that the Center has reduced the blood leadlevel that demarcates lead poisoning. The standard level used to measure the level of lead in the bloodhas been cut by more than half, from 25 micrograms to 10 micrograms of lead in a deciliter of blood,thus expanding the definition of those who are considered poisoned and in need of help.Populations at RiskResidents of any housing built before 1978 are considered to be at risk of containing some amount oflead-based paint. Older housing is more likely to have lead-based paint and the amount of lead pigmentin the paint tends to increase with the age of the housing. Approximately 20,500 housing units inChampaign were built before 1978 and are likely to contain some amount of lead-based paint. InChampaign, many of the low-income neighborhoods also contain the oldest housing stock. The City ofChampaign has approximately 3,400 children under the age of six. Since children of very low and lowincomefamilies tend to reside in older homes, they are disproportionately at risk for lead poisoning.The City of Champaign completed a Neighborhood Wellness Analysis Report in 2003. In the WellnessPlan, the City is broken down into 15 Planning Areas based on location and characteristics of eachneighborhood. The concentrations of oldest housing stock that are in need of attention were located inPlanning Areas 1, 2, 4, and 8. In addition, approximately 40% of the properties in these areas are rentalproperties, many of which are in fair to poor condition. In the above mentioned neighborhoods, the Cityhas assisted an average of 8% of the owner occupied households through various Neighborhood Programgrants and/or loans.Actions Taken to Evaluate and Reduce Lead Paint HazardsDuring the past ten years, two City employees have become trained as Risk Assessors to aid in identifyinglead hazards in homes applying for assistance. The City has also trained 25 contractors as LeadSupervisors/Workers to perform Safe Work Practices on all rehabilitation projects. The City will continueto offer training to contractors as needed to maintain their current licenses and train new contractors asthe need arises.Neighborhood Services Department organized a lead paint training class for contractors to attend to meetthen new EPA Lead Paint Rule that goes into effect on April 22, 2010 (Lead Renovator, Remodeler, andPainting). The classes were held on March 22, 2010 at the Champaign Police Station. 25 contractorsattended an 8 hour initial lead paint class and 22 contractors attended a 4 hour refresher course.The City also continues to provide education about lead-based paint hazards through a variety of forums.The City sponsors a home maintenance workshop six times per year which is a requirement for allpersons being assisted through City-administered housing rehab programs. The workshop is also open tothe public and to participants of other housing programs offered by local non-profit agencies. A largeNeeds Assessment: Housing and Homelessness 51