Jackson, Mississippi Awarded $1.2 million in Lead Based Paint Hazard Control
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Leslie Zarker, 301-300-9529
July 21, 2016
Jackson, Mississippi, GHHI site, First-time HUD
Lead Based Paint Hazard Control Grantee
July 21, 2016, Jackson, MS – Yesterday Jackson, Mississippi was awarded a $1.2 million in Lead Based Paint Hazard Control grant and $150,000 in Healthy Homes supplemental funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The City of Jackson, a Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI) site, is a first-time HUD lead hazard control grantee and worked closely with GHHI Jackson to secure the funding.
“This supports our City’s efforts to ensure we have a healthy community,” said Jackson Mayor Tony T. Yarber. “We recognize the great work that Green & Healthy Homes Initiative Jackson is doing to break down barriers for getting healthy homes work done. Instead of navigating through multiple agencies, families will only have to go to one place for improvements that will make their lives healthier and safer.”
“We’re grateful for Mayor Yarber’s leadership on this issue,” said Ruth Ann Norton, GHHI President & CEO. “The GHHI platform is helping Jackson and communities across the country deliver integrated and collaborative health and housing services to low-income families. The outcomes allow kids to come to school ready to learn, helps parents get to work, and ultimately helps stabilize communities.”
The city together with GHHI Jackson will address and remediate lead-based paint and other housing related health hazards in 86 eligible low-income units. Community partners include the Mississippi Center for Justice, the Jackson Medical Mall Foundation, Excel By 5 Mississippi, Mississippi Housing Partnership, and the South Central Community Action Agency.
HUD Secretary Julián Castro made the announcement of more than $52.6 million in new grant funding to 23 local and state government agencies during a panel discussion hosted by the Center for American Progress called: Creating Safe and Healthy Homes for All. The panel of experts on cross sector strategies for preventing lead poisoning included GHHI’s President & CEO, Ruth Ann Norton.
About the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative
GHHI is a national nonprofit dedicated to breaking the link between unhealthy housing and unhealthy families. Formerly known as the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning, GHHI replaces stand-alone intervention programs with an integrated, whole-house approach that produces healthy, safe and energy efficient homes. As a result, we are improving health, economic and social outcomes for families across the country.
GHHI serves as the national model for green and healthy homes interventions and is currently working in Austin, Atlanta, Baltimore, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Dubuque, Flint, Jackson, Lansing, Lewiston Auburn, Marin County, New Haven, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, the state of Rhode Island, Salt Lake, San Antonio, Staten Island and Greater Syracuse.
Learn more at www.ghhi.org and follow us @HealthyHousing.
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