Lead Safe Housing Program

Grant Overview 

The City of Schenectady was awarded Lead Based Paint Hazard Control Funds by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  The City of Schenectady will provide lead hazard control funding, up to $12,000 per unit, to eligible City of Schenectady property owners who own pre-1978 housing units that contain lead hazards.  The primary housing objectives are to incorporate Lead Hazard Control and Energy Efficiency measures into 205 City of Schenectady housing units, occupied by low income tenants with young children (<6 years old).  All lead hazard control work will be conducted by Schenectady Lead Safe Housing Program’s (SLSHP’s) pre-approved pool of EPA Certified Lead Abatement Firms.   

Owners who are approved for funding are required to cover all additional Lead Hazard Control costs if they exceed the $12,000/unit subsidy.  Only components (windows, siding, doors, walls, ceilings, floors) that contain lead hazards may be addressed with this funding.

Eligibility Requirements

• City of Schenectady properties housing children < 6 years of age will be prioritized, as will properties housing a child < 6 years of age with a recent elevated blood lead level from a venous blood lead test. 

• For grants made to assist rental housing, at least 50% of the units will be occupied by or made available to families with incomes <50% Median Family Income (MFI) and the remaining units will be occupied or made available to families with incomes <80% of MFI, and in all cases the property owner will give priority in renting units, for not less than 3 years following the completion of Lead Hazard Control, to low income families with a child < 6 years old.  

• For grants made to assist owner-occupants, all units will be the principal residence of families with income < 80 % of MFI where a child < 6 years spends 6 or more hours per week.  

• Applicant units must be located within the City of Schenectady’s target zip codes, be built before 1978, and have lead hazards.  Units with extensive lead hazards will be prioritized for enrollment.

• Owner must be current on all City and School taxes.  

• Owner must be current on mortgage payments and have no pending foreclosure proceedings for the applicant property.  

• Owner must agree to retain property for 3 years from the date of project closing.

• All children < 6 years of age must have a blood lead test within 6 months of start of lead work.   

• No open code violations (lead-related code violations excluded). 

How to Apply?

Complete the Grant Application and submit it with all required supplemental documentation.  If you are an Owner/Investor, all tenant applications and documentation needs to be submitted as well.                                                               

For more information, please call Valleen Blanchet at (518)386-2824.