By BOB MARTIN
Eagle Times Staff
In an effort to make 100 housing units safe from the hazards of lead paint, Sullivan County submitted a $4 million grant application for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Lead Abatement and Homes program.
According to a release on Thursday afternoon, the grants will be announced in the fall and projects start in early 2025. There are 19 properties on the waiting list from the last grant, and it is expected that the county will “hit the ground running” in working to not only focus on safety, but also improving housing stock.
Sullivan County was the first county in the Granite State to apply, and receive, direct funding from HUD for lead paint purposes when $1.7 million was awarded through the program. This request is an uptick from the previous grant, which had a goal of 60 housing units. The team ultimately cleared 69 units.
Goals of the program include:
- Protecting vulnerable populations that mostly includes children under 6
- Improve the county’s housing stock
- Raising public awareness about lead poisoning dangers
- Train local contractors and provide a steady stream of projects for four years
The program will also increase the amount of rental housing units when safe, affordable housing is low. The last grant put 23 units into circulation. This can be done because there are apartments that had a confirmed case of childhood lead poisoning that can’t be rented out until the problem is tended to.
The grant that was awarded in 2020 involved the Sullivan County Delegation and Board of Commissioners allocating County’s American Rescue Plan Act funds; New Hampshire Housing providing 0% interest loans to homeowners; and local banks purchasing tax credits though the N.H. Community Development Finance Authority. The banks were Claremont Savings Bank, Bank of New Hampshire, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, Mascoma Bank and Sugar River Bank.
“The previous grant was a tremendous success in part because of excellent partners that provided additional funding for free certification training and gap funding on projects that had extra costs,” the release stated.
Homeowners, landlords, tenants or contractors who are interested can contact Sharon Callum in the Sullivan County Commissioners’ Office at 603-863-2560.
