Rep. Fattah Announces Philadelphia Will Get $3 Million to Combat Lead Poisoning

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA), a senior appropriator on the House Appropriations Committee, announced today that the City of Philadelphia and partner agencies will receive $3 million for lead abatement.

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The grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development goes to the city Health Department for a Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration program to continue to provide lead-safe housing to families with lead-poisoned children.  The program will evaluate 250 homes for lead paint and hazards, eliminate hazards in 244 homes, conduct outreach and education and provide individualized training to residents.

"My goal is to have the City of Philadelphia lead-free. Today's grant of federal resources is the latest of many that we have worked for through the years to help city health officials address this problem," Fattah said.  "It involves numerous community partnerships that are crucial to the success of any lead abatement effort.

"Lead poisoning hits especially hard on our newest and poorest residents living in old, poorly maintained buildings where landlords have been lax about their tenants' safety," Fattah said. "It's been shown conclusively that poor children growing up in a lead poisoned environment can have their educational prospects and learning abilities permanently stunted. We can and must remove this threat to our children's life chances."

The city will be partnering with  the National Nursing Centers Consortium, the Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Agency Coalition, the Neighborhood Interfaith Movement, Community Legal Services, the Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations (Concilio), the Homeowner's Association of Philadelphia County, the Apartment Association of Greater Philadelphia, the Philadelphia YMCA, the City's Office of Housing and Community Development, the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation, Federation Early Learning Services; Rebuilding Together Philadelphia, Public Citizens for Children and Youth, the Philadelphia Gas Works, the Energy Coordinating Agency, Division of Chronic Disease Control, and Division of Maternal Child and Family Health.

SOURCE Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah

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