A federal Housing and Urban Development grant of more than $1.1 million for Genesee Orleans Health Department will put money right into the homes that need help to combat everything from infectious pests and noxious materials to fire hazards and ventilation obstructions, says Kaitlin Pettine, director of Health Promotion.
The grant of $1,182,681 was announced this week as part of a larger $39 million package for 15 states, including three recipients in New York counties of Albany, Madison and Genesee.
Families can own or rent a residence and would qualify by having some type of health and safety hazard, Pettine said. They would be assessed for radon, lead, mold, fire, trip, fall and fire hazards, ventilation and pest issues, asthma triggers, and “anything else that can reduce health and safety for residents,” she said.
“Funding from the program will be used to hire contractors and purchase supplies to remediate hazards found in the home,” she said to The Batavian Wednesday. “Many of these families disproportionately face disease and injuries in the home because of housing-related health hazards but are unable to remediate the hazards themselves. The ability to fix these health and safety hazards will help families, especially children, older adults, and people with disabilities, to live healthier, safer, and more independently in the home.”
For example, radon can negatively affect one’s health, and GLOW counties have a high average indoor radon level, she said. This program may help to mitigate that substance in those eligible homes.
Once a household qualifies, staff would then complete a “Healthy Homes” inspection, and if problems are detected, staff would complete a scope of work and coordinate with contractors to finish the project. Owner-occupied residents and landlords with eligible tenants are able to apply for the program.
“Another example would be if a ramp is needed for a resident to safely get up porch steps,” she said. “The grant may be able to help pay to get a ramp installed to prevent fall hazards.”
Pettine expects the local program to begin in mid-April for the GLOW region, as it is open to Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming county families that meet low-income eligibility of at or below 80 percent of the area median income level. It will run for 42 months, and GO Health staff is hoping to renew the grant for another term after this one ends, she said.
“We are pleased so many local and non-profit leaders are interested in participating in this grant program in order to make the homes of low-income people safer and healthier,” HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge said in a press release. “Our partners are acting to intentionally address home health and safety hazards, and HUD is proud to support them.”
Officials said that these investments will protect low-income families and children by eliminating significant health and safety hazards in more than 2,400 homes nationwide, including 55 families in the GLOW region, provide resources to build capacity for healthy home interventions and support the development of local workforces to hire housing renovation contractors and healthy housing practitioners to complete critical healthy homes work.
For more about GO Health's community health services, go to www.GOHealthNY.org.
