East Orange, Dec. 21, 2018: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded the East Orange Department of Health and Human Services (EODHHS) a $1.6 million grant to help protect children and families from lead-based paint and home health hazards.

East Orange is a first-time recipient, the only city in the state of New Jersey and one of 48 in the nation to receive the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control and Lead-Based Paint and Lead Reduction Demonstration Grant. The chief goal for the grant is to build upon the city’s existing lead remediation activities and reduce the number of lead-based paint hazards in high-risk housing units constructed prior to 1940.

“Ensuring that our city has all the appropriate measures to aggressively take on any health hazard is a top priority,” said Mayor Ted Green. “With this new funding, we can conduct child screenings for lead poisoning, focus on structural improvements and further spread educational awareness on the importance of home maintenance.”

Michael Hodges, Director of Health and Human Services for East Orange, will serve as the project director and oversee the proposed grant activities, while Dr. Victor Kuteyi, Lead Inspector and Risk Assessor, will conduct home and paint quality control checks throughout targeted areas in the city.  

According to HUD, the awarded grants will protect families and children by targeting health hazards in approximately 6,500 low-income homes with significant lead and health hazards. HUD's lead hazard control grant programs have successfully filled critical needs for remediating housing hazards, focusing on the most vulnerable residents of communities with limited local resources to address these hazards.

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