The Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission is moving forward with efforts to remove lead hazards from older housing. Jack Swarm, the commission’s Lead Hazard Reduction Program manager, spoke to the Lee County Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning about the presence of lead in aging homes across Lee, Henry, Des Moines, and Louisa counties.
Swarm says the commission is seeking 29 homes within the four-county region to participate in lead abatement through a $1.2 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, along with matching funds from the Great River Housing Trust Fund, which receives annual contributions from the county.
The funding covers a range of costs, including program administration, training, transportation, equipment, inspections, and payments to contractors tasked with removing lead-based paint.
He said homeowners interested in the program can apply by calling 319-753-5107 to check their eligibility. While the use of lead-based paint was banned in residential construction beginning in 1978, homes built before that year may still pose lead exposure risks, particularly for pregnant women and children under the age of five.
