Most children are lead-poisoned in older housing in disrepair.
Innovative policies are needed to protect children in these neighborhoods. The characteristics of the lead poisoning problem in high-risk communities makes clear that continuation of current strategies and approaches will not achieve prevention in distressed and marginal housing. New perspectives, strategies, and resources are needed to solve lead poisoning once and for all. First and foremost, high-risk communities, properties, and populations must receive priority attention for lead hazard control. Lead safety and other environmental health concerns also need to be integrated into all decisions related to housing, ranging from whether to rehabilitate or condemn a particular property, through project specifications, to allocating discretionary funds to lead poisoning hot spots.