The Lead Post, 1

Winter 1997 Volume One Number Two

The Lead Post

Moving Towards a Lead-Safe Environment for America’s Children

Office of Lead Hazard Control * 451 7th Street, S.W. * Room B-133 * Washington, DC 20410

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF LEAD-SAFE CAMBRIDGE

HELPING OUR COMMUNITY

by Lisa Motter, Lead-Safe Cambridge

Outreach Coordinator

To understand the impact of a

HUD lead abatement program,

you must look beyond any one

tenant, property owner, or child

served by that program. Every

day we help people in our community learn more about lead.

Our largest impact comes from

all the phone calls, walk-ins, referrals, outreach activities, home

visits, and interactions with property owners and contractors. All

of these things combined create

our value to the community.

To pick one story would be to

show just one small piece of how

we help. So, we have chosen

to focus on a day in the life of

our program...

Wednesday, January 22, 1997

It is a cold winter morning. A

blanket of frost covers the cars

lining the brick sidewalks in front

of the predominantly 19th and

early 20th century residential

neighborhoods.

 Slowly the city shows signs of

life. This is a famous city, known

mostly for its world-class universities - Harvard and MIT; but it

is more than just a “University

Town.”

It is also a city with congestion,

older housing stock, recently

expired rent control, and all the

challenges of a diverse population.

It is a good city, a popular city,

and it is a city that tries hard to

meet the demands of its citizens

while preserving the delicate balance of history and the promise

of the future. This city is Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The day begins much like any

other. The “Open” sign on the

Lead-Safe Cambridge (LSC)

door is turned around and staff

members arrive, red-faced from

the brisk morning air. The phone

begins to ring almost immediately.

Pregnant Mother’s Rights

The first call this morning is from

a tenant with questions about a

tenant notification form she

signed when she moved in to her

apartment. She is pregnant and

concerned about lead paint in her

home.

See Community, page 12
The Lead Post, 2

From the Director’s Chair

Lead-Safe Cambridge page 1

From the Director’s Chair page 2

HUD Grant Awards page 3

Grantee Spotlight page 4

The Lead Listing page 5

Lead Disclosure Rule Takes Effect page 6

Lead Paint Message page 7

Lead Tips page 7

Poisoning Case Management Tool page 8

Reference Library CD-ROM page 9

Lead Star page 9

Chapter 7 of the HUD Guidelines page 11

Calendar of Events page 11

I have increasingly

realized the importance of staying focused on one

simple principle:

The work we do

touches thousands

of lives. All of us--

whether we work in

the community, parents’ groups, housing agencies, private business, local, state or federal government

agencies, research institutions, advocacy

groups, or public health--must look beyond the

“dailyness” of our existence and recognize the

impact we have on children and their families.

I remember one of the first cases of lead poisoning I investigated many years ago in Atlanta.

The father was in the midst of a major rehab

effort on the house he and his wife had just invested their savings in. There was lead paint

and dust everywhere.

Their 18-month old daughter visited her grandmother in Boston for a holiday and came down

with the flu. The physician happened to check

the blood lead level, found that it was over 60

ug/dL, called a physician in charge of the Georgia Poison Control Center, who then called me.

The father also had elevated blood lead levels.

In those days, there was no HUD Lead Paint

Grant program, and we had to beg and borrow

respirators and HEPA vacuums and other supplies to get the situation under control. Happily,

when both the father and daughter were retested,

their blood lead levels were greatly reduced.

As I read the stories about the programs in

Cambridge and Vermont in this issue, I was

struck by how, despite all our difficulties, we are

succeeding in controlling a major childhood disease, keeping low-income housing affordable

and safe, and building communities where our

children can flourish and make us proud of the

future only they can make.

Published by the HUD Office of Lead Hazard Control

Director: David E. Jacobs

Deputy Director: Ronald J. Morony

Editor/Writer: Dolline Hatchett

Design/Layout: Matthew Ammon

Send story ideas, suggestions and comments to:

Dolline_L._Hatchett@hud.gov
The Lead Post, 3

Secretary Henry G. Cisneros of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, (HUD)

announced the award of $51 million to 17 grantees

in 15 states to use towards the reduction of leadbased paint hazards in low-income, privately-owned

housing units. In addition, a total of $4 million in grant

funds was awarded to Missouri, Richmond, VA., and

the Borough of Palmerton, PA., to control lead-based

paint hazards in housing units on Superfund sites.

The awards are part of the Department’s LeadBased Paint Hazard Control Grant Program.

HUD’s Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control

Grant Program works to build an infrastructure which

will last well beyond the life of the grant. Besides

supporting hazard control work, funds are used to develop education and outreach programs, as well as

job opportunities for community residents. The grant

provides incentives for state and local governments

to work with community-based service providers, environmental advocates, landlords, and homeowners

to rid private, low-income housing of lead hazards.

And most importantly, the grant program stimulates

the formation of a sound system of laws, regulations

and procedures for ensuring that children will be protected from lead poisoning.

Communities compete for the Lead-Based

Paint Hazard Control Grants by submitting innovative proposals that address childhood lead poisoning in older, low-income neighborhoods, where leadbased paint is most prevalent.

HUD’s grant program is only one component

of a larger strategy to help state and local governments develop effective programs of lead-based

paint hazard control. It was established by Title X of

the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction

Act, part of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992.

HUD FY97 Lead-Based Paint

Grantees and Awards

Jefferson County, AL - $1,014,778

Dubuque, IA - $3,690,619

Shreveport, LA - $1,142,300

Cambridge, MA - $2,177,327

Wayne County, MI - $4,994,424

Minneapolis, MN - $4,994,424

Minnesota - $1,475,389

Kansas City, MO - $4,994,424

Missouri - $1,997,894

Chautauqua County, NY - $2,725,334

New York City - $1,596,274

Charlotte, NC - $4,986,800

Mahoning County, OH - $4,295,668

Springfield, OH - $2,966,805

Borough of Palmerton, PA - $633,288

Philadelphia, PA - $1,573,200

Vermont - $1,804,610

Richmond, VA - $1,368,818

Milwaukee, WI - $4,994,424

Wisconsin - $1,573,200

The U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) operates the LeadBased Paint Hazard Control Grant Program established by Title X of the Housing and

Community Development Act of 1992, also known as the Residential Lead-Based

Paint Hazard Reduction Act. The primary purpose of the lead program is to reduce

the exposure of young children to lead-based paint hazards in their homes.
The Lead Post, 4

The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board’s (VHCB) Lead-Based Paint Hazard

Reduction Program has completed lead-based paint hazard reduction activities in 300 units of

housing to date, with another 78 units underway. An additional 64 units have had testing, risk

assessments and specifications completed ; hazard reduction work will begin later this winter

or early spring.

The program in its final year was funded under a $3 million Round II grant received in

1994 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The program focuses on providing assistance to

three categories of housing units:

• Nonprofit-owner, perpetually affordable rental housing units that are undergoing substantial rehabilitation

funded in part by VHCB administered state and Federal

funds

• Private investor-owned rental housing units

• Low-income homeowner occupied properties

Priority is given to units occupied by young children, and the highest priority goes to children with elevated blood lead levels. Units located in 39 villages, towns and cities throughout

Vermont have been enrolled in the program.

Technical assistance is provided at no cost to eligible owners in the form of inspections,

XRF, paint chip and soil testing, lab analysis, risk assessments, specification development,

assistance with contractor bidding and selection, construction oversight and clearance testing.

Program participants receive a combination of grants and 0% deferred loans for the hazard

reduction work totaling up to $6,000 for housing units occupied by young children, and up to

$3,000 for units without children.

Background

Vermont has a relatively high percentage of pre-1940 housing stock that is known to

contain high levels of lead. Almost 40% of the total occupied housing units were built prior to

1940. In rental housing, over half of the units were constructed prior to 1940. It is estimated that

61% of the total occupied units of housing stock is in poor condition, particularly those units

rented to low-income households. Data from the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) blood screenings indicate 12 to 15% of children under age six tested for lead

have blood lead levels greater than or equal to 10 micrograms per deciliter. This exceeds the

national average of nine percent. See Grantee, page 10

Grantee

Spotlight

Joanne Latuchie Director, Federal Programs
The Lead Post, 5

The National Lead Service Providers’ Listing, the “Lead Listing,” was recently developed to

provide parents, landlords, real estate professionals, and other consumers with an effective means

of identifying and locating trained lead service providers. By accessing the Lead Listing web site

on the Internet World Wide Web, the public can find organizations and/or individuals who provide lead-based paint (lbp) inspections, risk assessments, hazard control, and other related

services.

Lead professionals who are interested in being placed on the Lead Listing must submit information to demonstrate that training was completed and certify that the information is correct. For

those states with operational lead certification and accreditation programs, lead professionals

must hold a current lead certification in those states. For more information on how to be included

in the Lead Listing please call (703) 312-7837.

The following consumer resources are also available via the Lead Listing home page:

Consumers are able to locate trained lead service providers by state by clicking on

a map of the United States or can choose to download a printable file of service

providers for a state or for all states.

A Question and Answer Guide is posted on the home page to include an overview

of lead listing “rules.”

A Consumer Reference Guide containing definitions of lead-related terms, a comparison of a lead inspection and a lead risk assessment, a guide on questions to

ask when purchasing services from a lead service provider and a guide on state

lead programs are posted.

Federal lead regulations and the EPA/CPSC/HUD lead notification pamphlet are

also posted.

The Internet address is http://www.leadlisting.org The Lead Listing information is also available by dialing toll free 1-888-LEAD-LIST.
The Lead Post, 6

Lead Disclosure Rule

Takes Effect for

Property Owners of

One to Four Dwelling Units

The Lead Disclosure Rule which was jointly published by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as required by the Lead-Based Paint

Reduction Act of 1992, took effect on December 6, 1996, for property

owners of one to four dwelling units. The rule went into effect on

September 6, 1996, for owners of five or more dwelling units.

The full implementation of the rule is an important step forward in two areas of critical concern --

protecting public health from serious threats and arming the public with the information they need to

protect themselves.

Approximately 1 million American children have unsafe blood lead levels, making lead poisoning the

number one environmental health hazard for children under the age of six. Most of those children

are poisoned by lead contaminated dust and soil that derives from lead in old paint and the residue

of fallout from leaded gasoline combustion.

Lead-based paint was banned in 1978, but approximately 64 million dwellings in the United States

still have some lead-based paint. However, common sense procedures used when performing

routine maintenance or home renovations can significantly reduce the risk of lead poisoning.

 SPECIFICALLY, the HUD/EPA Rule states:

1. Sellers and landlords must disclose any known lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards

in homes. They also are required to give buyers or tenants any reports that are available from tests

that may have been performed before sale or lease.

2. Sellers and landlords must give buyers and renters a pamphlet about how to protect families from

lead in homes. The pamphlet, entitled, “Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home,” was developed by EPA, HUD, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and is available in

both English and Spanish. States may request EPA approval of an alternate pamphlet.

3. Home buyers receive a 10-day opportunity to conduct a lead-based paint inspection or risk

assessment at their own expense if desired. The number of days can be changed by mutual consent.

4. Sales contracts and leasing agreements must include a lead warning statement and provisions

ensuring that disclosure and notification actually take place. Some states already have lead paint

disclosure provisions in sale and lease contracts. For those states that do not, the agencies have

developed a sample format.

5. Sellers, landlords and real estate agents all share responsibility for ensuring compliance with this

rule.
The Lead Post, 7

Oscar The Grouch Reaches Kids With Lead Paint Message

Reprint from the Community Ink

Lead Tips

Did You Know...

People can get more lead in their body if they:

Put their hands or other objects covered with

lead dust in their mouths.

Eat paint chips or soil that contains lead.

Breathe in lead dust ( especially during renovations that disturb painted surfaces).

Lead is even more dangerous to children than

adults because:

Babies and young children often put their hands

and other objects in their mouths. Those objects can have lead dust on them.

Children’s growing bodies absorb more lead.

Children’s developing brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects

of lead.

The Lead Post needs stories in the

areas of lead hazard control and poisoning prevention. Please mail stories on a diskette with any accompanying photos to Dolline Hatchett, Community Outreach Officer, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, S.W., B133, Washington, DC 20410. Photos will not be returned. Deadline

for story submissions:

Spring Issue: april 30, 1997
The Lead Post, 8

Bright Futures: An Action Guide

for Families of Lead Poisoned

Children is now available from the

California Department of Health

Services, Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch. Bright Futures is an innovative visual communication tool designed to help

health professionals address the

questions and concerns of parents

whose children are lead poisoned.

Each Bright Futures set includes

19 colorful pictures that illustrate

key concepts about lead poisoning

in three topic areas, designated by

a color border at the top of the card:

The Nature of Lead Poisoning; How

Children Become Poisoned; Action

Parents Can Take To Help Their

Child Get Well. Each card has attractive pictures on the front with a

simple sentence, phrase, or action

in English and Spanish. On the

back, key points in English and

Spanish prompt the health professional to discuss important topics

about lead poisoning.

Bright Futures encourages parental action and is also appropriate for

reaching low literacy and Spanish

speaking audiences. The materials

are durable, portable and come with

their own canvas tote bag.

Prompted by requests from public

health nurses for a case management tool to help communicate difficult lead poisoning concepts,

Bright Futures was developed for

health professionals and parents.

Extensive field testing and focus

groups with public health nurses and

parents helped shape the messages and final product.

Bright Futures is available for $38

per set, with a minimum order of

three sets. Please contact Kathryn

Fricke, Health Educator, at (510)

450-2418 for ordering information.

NEW LEAD POISONING CASE

MANAGEMENT TOOL AVAILABLE
The Lead Post, 9

Lead Star

Matt Ammon

Matt Ammon is a Government Technical Representative for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Lead Hazard Control, in Washington, D.C. He manages and provides direction for 15 grantees that have received awards under the Lead-Based

Paint Hazard Control Grant Program to use towards the reduction

of lead-based paint hazards in low-income and privately-owned

housing units.

Matt used his previous experience as a program manager to develop data collection systems and to

develop the Office of Lead Hazard Control, the Lead Listing, and HUD Single Family/FHA Internet

web sites. The Lead Listing web site was recently nominated by the Lotus Development Corp. for the

Beacon Award, an industry award which recognizes the use and application of innovative technology

(see page 5 for article on the Lead Listing).

When asked about his accomplishments he responded, “We are only limited by our perceptions of

what we cannot do. Hopefully, I can demonstrate to people that the use of technology can bridge the

gap between idea and accomplishment.”

Matt Ammon resides in Annapolis, Maryland with his wife and two Siamese cats.

Residential Lead Hazard Control Reference

Library CD-ROM

The Lead Office has recently compiled information to be included on a CD-ROM.

The CD-ROM includes the HUD Guidelines, the EPA Lead Information Pamphlet,

Putting the Pieces Together: Controlling Lead Hazards in the Nation’s Housing,

the EPA/HUD Lead Disclosure Rule with both Guidances, EPA Lead Certification

and Accreditation Regulations, and lead scientific research including the Report

on the National Survey of Lead-Based Paint in Housing and Does Residential LeadBased Paint Hazard Control Work? The CD-ROM will be available from HUD

USER (800-245-2691) in April. For more information, please call 202-755-

1785, ext.158.
The Lead Post, 10

Grantee,

continued from page 4

Legislation and Poisoning

Prevention

The Vermont Legislature

has also recognized the importance of preventing childhood

lead poisoning by passing three

major legislative initiatives over

the past four years. Most recent

legislation requires owners of residential rental properties built before 1978 and child care facilities to

complete Essential Maintenance Practices (EMPs) on these structures. This includes the installation

of window well liners, minor paint stabilization and cleaning with a HEPA vacuum annually and at tenant

turnover. Owners must attend a Department of Health approved course before they can complete

EMPs. Once this is done, however, the owner is able to secure lead liability coverage from their

property insurer and is provided some protection from future civil action.

Pilot Program

As a result of Vermont’s new EMP law, VHCB has undertaken a small pilot program in

Burlington’s Old North End Enterprise Zone. This is a collaborative effort with CLPPP, the City of

Burlington’s Community and Economic Development Office and the Burlington Housing Authority. Approximately 30 units in this neighborhood will have EMPs completed. These units will be incorporated

into the National Evaluation data. Follow-up testing should help to determine the effectiveness of the

new law. The response to this pilot program has been overwhelming, with applications received from

more than 300 apartments.

Working with Rehabilitation Programs

Vermont’s EMP law and the recently enacted federal disclosure law have significantly increased

the demand for VHCB’s limited resources. Many units have had lead hazard reduction work completed in partnership with locally administered Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funded

rehabilitation programs. VHCB’s

lead program provided all the technical services while the CDBG

funds were used to cover the lead

hazard reduction and rehabilitation

work. Working collaboratively with

these small rehabilitation programs

has enabled VHCB to create additional lead safe units and spread

program dollars further. VHCB has

recently been awarded a second

grant of $1.8 million from HUD’s

Round Four Grant Program. Continued funding of Vermont’s Lead Program will enable us to build on

the successful collaborative relationships and effective program implementation under our current

program.

A before and after shot (below) of a home renovated as part of

the lead hazard reduction and CDBG rehabilitation program.
The Lead Post, 11

The Office of Lead Hazard Control is updating its guidance on lead-based paint inspection procedures. At October’s LeadTech conference, Office Director Dave Jacobs and

Research Manager Warren Friedman identified four main topics being considered for

revision, and heard comments on them and

on dozens of other suggestions by over 150

attendees at their session. The major topics

being reviewed in HUD Guidelines’ Chapter

7 are:

• The use of chemical spot test kits for inspections,

• The number of rooms to be inspected in each house or apartment,

• The number of XRF readings to be taken for each testing combination

in single family housing, and

• The number of housing units to be sampled in multifamily housing

developments.

A draft discussion document has been evaluated by peer reviewers, whose

comments are now being considered by HUD.

Chapter 7

OF THE

HUD

Guidelines

April 28-30, 1997

The National Lead-Safe Housing

Conference and Exposition

Washington, DC

Contact: Kim Levi (301)924-0804

May 3, 1997

Lead Poisoning in Jefferson County

Souther Organization Committee

Birmingham, AL

Contact: Lynn Battle (205) 252-2181

May 20-21, 1997

Look Out for Lead ‘97

EPA, State of Wisconsin

Madison, WI

Contact: Rick Brooks (608) 265-4079

June 10-11, 1997

Management of Environmental Health

Hazards: A Community Challenge

Pittsburgh, PA

EPA, States of West Virginia, Ohio and

Pennsylvania

Contact: Chuck Vukotich (412) 578-8064

June 25-27, 1997

Northwest Lead Conference

Oregon Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention

Program

Contact: Chris Johnson (503) 248-5240

Calendar of Events
The Lead Post, 12

“I signed a waiver form when I moved into my apartment. Does this mean that I don’t have any rights?”

Chantal Labossiere, the LSC Program Assistant tells

her about the Massachusetts lead law and Federal requirements. After explaining her rights and giving

her some lead safety information over the phone,

Chantal sends her a brochure on the lead law and a

brochure about the Lead-Safe program for the tenant

to give to her property owner. The tenant thanks

Chantal and is relieved to know that her child still has

a right to grow up in a lead-safe environment.

Coordination with Non-Profits

Other LSC staff-members begin their day, too. Gerry

Carrington, the Project Manager, will spend his morning out of the office. He has arranged a walk-through

for contractors wishing to bid on a lead hazard control job. With spec in-hand, Gerry and five contractors take a walk through two units in a multifamily

house. The apartments are in pretty bad shape. Paint

is peeling off many of the interior walls. One room

has a huge hole in the ceiling. The outside isn’t much

better; the window sills and casings will definitely need

work. This property is one of the many projects LeadSafe Cambridge is working on with Just-A-Start, a

local non-profit that provides funding and technical

assistance for rehabilitation work. The owners of this

property would never have been able to afford to renovate, let alone delead, this multifamily house without

the coordinated assistance of Just-A-Start and LeadSafe Cambridge.

Public Education: The Puppet Show

I am the Outreach Coordinator for the program (Lisa

Motter) and I will also be out of the office this morning. I am visiting one of the 15 neighborhood elementary schools, making presentations to all of the kindergarten and first grade classes. Lugging a puppet

theater and other supplies, I will spend 45 minutes

with each class.

Community, continued.

The first session consists of two kindergarten classes.

I begin with a question: “Does anybody know what

lead is?” Lots of eager hands shoot up, but I know the

majority answer will be “something they put in pencils.” After telling them about graphite, I explain

how lead is a metal and talk briefly about lead in paint

and how it turns into lead dust. Then the real fun

begins.

Puppet show stars Scrubby Bear and Eddie Eat Right

tell the kids how to avoid lead paint hazards and the

importance of good nutrition. Then, they let the kids

join in during the pretend hand-washing lesson. But

the fun doesn’t end there. The Sesame Street Lead

Away video reinforces the information presented with

songs and lessons in lead safety. After discussion, a

verbal quiz, and a question and answer session, parent information sheets are distributed and it is off to

another classroom. By the end of the morning, I have

performed 5 puppet shows and am starting to get a bit

hoarse...

Home Visit

Back at the office, Alicia Morris, the Nurse Manager, and Luisa Oliveira, the Relocation Manager,

are leaving for a home visit. A sudden flurry of new

families in the program means they will be making

several visits over the next few weeks to explain the

deleading work as well as to try to enroll the children

in the HUD blood lead study.

Luisa works with each family to devise a relocation

plan that works for everyone. LSC maintains two

furnished, deleaded relocation apartments that are

close to public transportation, shopping, and large

enough to accommodate big families. The newly enrolled families will be given the option to relocate to

one of the apartments or to stay with family or friends

during the deleading process. Luisa demonstrates the

necessary preparation work the family will need to

do before the deleading begins and provides a checklist of things to bring with them during their relocation. Continued, next page
The Lead Post, 13

Alicia and Luisa arrive a few minutes

early for today’s home visit. This family

is Portuguese and speaks very little English so Luisa will be translating during

the visit. A young mother answers the

door and invites them in. Her 4 year old

daughter hides shyly behind her mother’s

legs. They are invited to sit around the

kitchen table.

Alicia asks whether or not the child has

had a recent blood lead test. It is determined that she had one about a month ago.

The mother gets up to get the paperwork when

Alicia asks about their primary care physician.

It turns out their doctor is not part of the Cambridge Hospital, so Alicia will need permission to get blood test results if they participate

in the HUD study. The study is examining the

effectiveness of the program by looking at

changes in blood lead levels. Luisa explains

the study and asks if they are interested. The

mother decides to sign the authorization form.

Alicia then talks to the family about activities

that increase exposure to lead Information

about good nutrition, cleaning with a Tri-Sodium Phosphate (TSP) solution, a “Sneaky Poison” brochure developed by LSC for all literacy levels, and a brochure from the EPA

entitled “Protect Your Family From Lead in

Your Home” are given to the family. The

TSP and the LSC brochures are translated into

the three most prevalent languages in Cambridge—Portuguese, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.

This family will be using one of the LSC relocation units so they are also given information

about the apartment and other general information they will need such as a map and directions to the local supermarket.

Coordinating with Section 8

Meanwhile, Chantal is busy back at the office assisting a property owner interested in signing up with the

LSC program. He wants to rent one of his units to a

family with a Section 8 certificate and realizes that

the law requires that the unit be deleaded since the

family has a child under 6. Not understanding how to

begin that process, he came to Lead-Safe for some

answers. Chantal calls the Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) and lets them know this property owner

is joining our program and arranges to coordinate the

completion of paperwork necessary for the Section 8

certificate. Cooperation between LSC and other City

departments, like the CHA, helps the program work

efficiently.

Meeting with a Property Owner

Meanwhile, Peggy Hegarty the LSC Program Manager, is preparing to meet with another property owner

for a “closing,” the final stage of paperwork prior to

the beginning of deleading work. In this meeting,

Peggy will explain the financial obligations of the program in detail and answer any last minute questions

the property owners may have. These property owners, an older couple who occupy the lower level of

their three-family home, have lived in Cambridge for

45 years. Continued, next page

Community, continued.

During a home visit, Alicia Morris and Luisa Oliveira

give a child a bandage after his blood test.
The Lead Post, 14

Their granddaughter and

her husband live on the

second floor and are expecting a child in four

months, their first greatgrandchild. Without the

assistance of Lead-Safe

Cambridge, they tell

Peggy, they weren’t

sure they could afford to

do the right thing for

their great-grandchild.

The rest of the afternoon,

Luisa and Ann CooperStroobant, the LSC

Landscape Planner working on the Safer Soil project,

are working out a schedule to test soil for lead. They

are also in the early planning stages of a Safer Soil

Workshop they will conduct in the Spring to teach the

residents of the City about landscaping methods to

make yards safer for playing and gardening.

Peggy is revising the budget. The Round 4 HUD grant

that Lead-Safe Cambridge recently received will allow the program to continue until 2000. Peggy has

been working hard to make necessary program

changes fit with the new budget. It is challenging but

rewarding. Peggy has been with the program since

the beginning and is looking forward to continuing program efforts.

Five o’clock finally

rolls around. It has

been a busy day for everyone and tomorrow

will be another full day.

The computers are shut

down, the phone calls

wind down, and LSC

staff members put on

coats and hats, bracing

for the cold January

night. As Chantal,

Luisa, Alicia, and myself leave the office we

hear the tap, tap of

computer keys in

Peggy’s office. It will be

another night of budget wrestling for her. We poke

our heads in to wish her a pleasant evening.

Walking down the stairs and out into the brisk night

air, we reminisce about the day’s events. I think to

myself how much I enjoy this work and helping the

people that we serve. I am reminded of one child, in

particular, from earlier in the day. “Thank you for

the puppet show, Lisa,” she said, while giving me a

big hug. I smile to myself as I wave goodbye to the

others. It’s not everyday you get thanked just for doing your job. But then again, it’s not everyday you get

to feel like what you do makes a difference in the

lives of other people.

Community, continued.
The Lead Post, 15

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Washington, D.C. 20410-0000

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