(1) Lead poisoning in residential environments
is a major health problem in older American cities.
(2) It is estimated that 83 percent of privately
owned housing units and 86 percent of public hous-
ing units built before 1980 contain lead hazards.
(3) Lead-based paint remains the most common
source of lead exposure.
(4) The main source of lead poisoning among
children is the dust that comes from chipping lead-
based paint or dust that is created during residential
repainting or remodeling projects.
(5) Even low levels of lead in the body are
harmful and are associated with reduced intelligence
and attention span, hearing loss, stunted growth,
reading and learning problems, and behavioral dif-
ficulties.
(6) Nearly 5 percent of American children who
are 1 to 5 years of age suffer from lead poisoning.
(7) 16 percent of low-income children living in
older housing suffer from lead poisoning.
(8) 22 percent of African American children liv-
ing in older housing suffer from lead poisoning.
SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM FOR STARTUP COSTS OF PRO-
GRAMS TO PREVENT RESIDENTIALLY BASED
LEAD POISONING IN CHILDREN.
Subtitle A of title X of the Housing and Community
Development Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 1011 et seq.) is
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 1019. GRANTS FOR STARTUP COSTS OF COMMUNITY
CENTER PROGRAMS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development may make grants to public and non-
profit private entities for the purpose of assisting such en-
tities in establishing, in geographic areas described in sub-
section (d), community programs that provide residential
lead-based paint poisoning prevention services at or
through single sites.
‘‘(b) USE OF GRANT.—A grant under subsection (a)
may be expended for the initial costs of providing the sin-
gle-site facilities (including the acquisition and rehabilita-
tion of facilities), personnel, and equipment for a commu-
nity program described in such subsection, and for such
other costs of establishing the program as the Secretary
determines to be appropriate. Such a grant may not be
expended to provide the services described in such sub-
section and may not otherwise be expended to pay the
costs of operating such a program.
‘‘(c) SERVICES.—For purposes of this section, the
term ‘residential lead-based paint poisoning prevention
services’ means any services appropriate to prevent lead
poisoning in infants and children, especially lead poisoning
resulting from the presence of lead-based paint in dwelling
units, including—
‘‘(1) conducting risk assessments and inspec-
tions in housing, providing for interim control and
abatement of lead-based paint hazards in housing,
and any other activities referred to in section
1011(e); and
‘‘(2) 
any 
services 
described 
in 
section
317A(a)(1) of the Public Health Service Act.
‘‘(d) ELIGIBLE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS.—For purposes
of subsection (a), a geographic area described in this sub-
section is a geographic area that meets the following con-
ditions:
‘‘(1) A significant portion of the housing in the
area was constructed before 1950.
‘‘(2) The area has a significant number of chil-
dren who are 5 years of age or younger and have
elevated blood lead levels.
‘‘(3) Such other conditions as the Secretary
may establish.’’.
‘‘(e) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out this section,
the Secretary shall consult with the Director of the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention.
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the
purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for
each of the fiscal years 2000 through 2004.’’.
Æ