Safer Homes Ahead: $3 Million Secured for Lead Hazard Removal 

Late last year, the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) brought regional groups together to apply for a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The joint effort has resulted in nearly $3 million to help low- and middle-income homes address hazardous lead levels.  

Until they were banned in the 1970’s and 80’s, lead-based paint and plumbing supplies were widely used in homes. Even at low levels, exposure to lead can impair mental and physical development. More than half of Linn County homes were built prior to 1978, making them more likely to have lead paint or dust.  

“Iowa has some of the nation’s oldest housing stock, and more than 100,000 homes in our region were built prior to 1978,” said Paula Mitchell, Housing Director at ECICOG. “Iowa’s incidence of elevated blood lead levels in children under 6 exceeds the national average. Reducing lead hazards in housing will help to address a major factor contributing to childhood lead poisoning.” 

Addressing the issue is expensive, averaging more than $21,000 per home. Additionally, Linn County’s older homes are disproportionately located in low-income neighborhoods. With no local assistance programs, addressing lead levels has remained out of reach for many.  

The HUD grant program provides funding for lead remediation programs that serve people earning less than 80% of the area median income (about $101,000 for a family of four in Linn County). Communities are required to provide 10% of the project’s budget, with HUD providing the rest. The Community Foundation has committed $50,000 from its Community Investment Fund. ECICOG, the City of Cedar Rapids, the Housing Trust Fund for Linn County, the East Central Iowa Housing Trust Fund, and the Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County are providing another $246,498. The program will provide more than $2.9 million to address lead hazards in 90 Eastern Iowa homes. About 30 of those homes will be in Linn County.   

“The Community Foundation is excited to support this effort with a grant from the Community Investment Fund, which seeks to leverage existing funding and catalyze community action,” said Joe Heitz, Vice President of Community Impact. “Lead exposure is a real concern for those living in Linn County’s older homes, and this is a great opportunity to provide those families with solutions.” 

The program will begin accepting applications this spring, and funding will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Details on eligibility and funding limits are available at ecicog.org.  

“We’re excited to implement this program, which will help approximately 90 families with young children to make their homes safer,” Paula said. “We also appreciate our regional partners who helped us to make this happen.”