Lead Paint Poisoning Prevention Week is October 21 - 27

Lead Paint Safe Somerville staff are using Lead Paint Poisoning Prevention Week, which runs from October 21 to 27, to remind residents about the dangers lead paint poses to young children. Although lead paint was banned in 1978, it is still present in many older homes and nearly 90 percent of Somerville’s housing was built prior to the ban.

The City of Somerville received a $1.7 million grant to help homeowners and tenants mitigate lead hazards, which will increase the amount of safe family housing in the city. Lead Paint Safe Somerville’s goal is to help mitigate lead hazards in 90 homes by 2021. To learn more about resources available, including 0% interest, forgivable loans, join Lead Paint Safe Somerville staff for an information session on Tuesday, October 23. The information session will be from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Argenziano School cafeteria, 290 Washington St. Pizza and refreshments will be served.

Residents can also learn more about their own homes and the possibility of any health hazards posed by lead paint.

• Residents can find out when their home was built by using the online Assessors Database. Housing built before 1978 could contain lead paint.
• Massachusetts has an online Lead Safe Homes database that residents can use to see if their home has been inspected for lead paint and the results of any inspections.

The Lead Paint Safe Somerville website has information on additional lead paint mitigation programs and medical facilities where children’s blood lead-levels can be tested.

For more information on the Lead Pain Safe Somerville program or the upcoming information session, please visit somervillema.gov/lead or contact program staff at leadpaint@somervillema.gov or 617-625-6600 ext. 2584.

Individuals with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication, written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures, in order to access the programs and activities of the City of Somerville or to attend meetings, should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator, Nency Salamoun, at 617-625-6600 x2323 orNSalamoun@somervillema.gov.