RI Housing's Home Improvement & Lead Abatement Programs

RI Housing's Home Improvement & Lead Abatement Programs is sponsored by Rhode Island Housing. Rhode Island Housing's Home Improvement & Lead Abatement Programs can help qualified residents in obtaining grants or low-interest home repair and improvement loans.

Lead Safe Programs Rhode Island | RIHousing LeadSafe Homes Program in Rhode Island Financial help to remove lead hazards. Need to address lead in your home? RIHousing’s LeadSafe Homes Program provides financial assistance to help eligible homeowners address lead hazards and make their homes safer for children and families.

Funding can support inspections, remediation work, and essential repairs needed to meet Rhode Island’s lead safety requirements. Lead paint is typically found in paint dust from old doors or windows opening and closing; peeling and chipped paint, from both inside and outside of the house; and soil that has paint dust or chips in it.

RIHousing’s LeadSafe Homes Program provides remediation of lead-paint based hazards, such as: Interior and exterior painting There are also resources to provide other healthy homes improvements, including, but not limited to, air quality improvements such as dryer vents and bathroom fans, minor electrical upgrades and fixing broken railings.

Frequently Asked Questions The LeadSafe Homes Program is currently prioritizing properties that meet one or more of the following criteria: Property located statewide excluding the cities of Providence, Pawtucket and Woonsocket Property constructed prior to 1978 Owner or tenant(s) meet income requirements as defined by HUD and/or the State Loan Program Has either been referred or received a violation for lead safety by the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) Has received a citation for lead safety from a municipality Is the primary residence for at least one child under the age of six Has evidence of a failed lead inspection within the last two years Live in Providence, Pawtucket or Woonsocket?

The Cities of Providence, Pawtucket and Woonsocket also run residential lead-paint remediation programs for households that earn under a certain income level and have children who are 6 or younger that live at the property. Contact the programs directly to see if you qualify. Lead Remediation Program Contacts: Providence: Paula Baron | 401-680-8427 | pbaron@providenceri.

gov Pawtucket: Coming Soon | 401-728-0500 x357 Woonsocket: Shirley Fraticelli | 401-597-0845 | Leadsafewoonsocket@woonsocketri. org If you do not believe you qualify for these city programs, please reach out so we can assess your eligibility for our State Loan Program. Why should you be concerned about lead paint?

Lead paint is particularly dangerous for children 6 and under. Childhood lead poisoning is one of the most common pediatric health problems, yet it is entirely preventable. Lead paint can harm children by: Slowing growth and development Causing learning disabilities and behavior problems This damage is irreversible.

Lead paint is also dangerous for pregnant women. Too much lead in a pregnant woman’s body can cause the baby to be born early or too small or have learning problems. It can also put them at risk for miscarriage.

Lead Remediation Process – Tenants Both tenants and property owner must submit applications I’m not sure how I would approach my landlord about my interest in this program. Both landlords and tenants have rights and responsibilities when it comes to lead paint. A certified lead inspector inspects the property for lead hazards.

They identify the lead hazards and create an outline for the work that needs to be done A RIHousing approved contractor is hired to conduct the work. RIHousing works closely with the property owner and contractor to make sure the work is done right and in a timely fashion. All residents of the property must temporarily leave while the work is happening.

How long this will take depends on how much work is needed, but on average it’s 1-2 weeks Residents can stay with family or friends, or RIHousing will pay for temporary accommodations for the full relocation timeframe Once the work is complete, a final inspection is conducted to ensure the property is now lead safe. If so, the property receives a lead safe certificate, something most homes in Rhode Island are required to have by law.

Frequently Asked Questions How do I know if my home has lead paint? If your home was built before 1978, the year lead in paint was banned, then there’s a good chance lead paint is present. Over 70% of homes in Rhode Island were built before 1978 and likely contain lead paint.

The most common sources of lead-paint based hazards are lead contaminated dust, peeling and chipped lead paint and contaminated soil. The best way to know if your home has lead paint is to have an inspector come out and test for it. If your home was built after 1978 there is likely no lead paint.

Are there any costs for tenants and the property owner to participate in this program? There are no out-of-pocket expenses or monthly payments associated with the LeadSafe Homes Program for the tenant or property owner. In most cases, the grant or loan will be completely forgiven, and the assistance is free.

Tenants will be relocated for a short period of time so that contractors can repair the home safely; the LeadSafe Homes Program covers costs associated with relocation of tenants when necessary. How do I know if I qualify for the LeadSafe Homes Program? If your home was built before 1978 you may be eligible.

If you are not the property owner, your landlord will first need to complete an application for the program. RIHousing can help you tell your landlord about this program, if requested. I’m not sure how I would approach my landlord about my interest in this program.

What are some ways that I can approach the conversation? The best way to approach the conversation with the property owner is to think about the advantages for all involved. Both tenants and property owner benefit from the LeadSafe Homes Program.

Here are some of the program benefits: Comfort in knowing your home is healthy and safe for your family No out of pocket costs or monthly payments for the property owner or tenant(s) Significantly reduces the risk of child lead poisoning Lead remediation process brings home/property into compliance with the law The program, in most instances, is free.

The LeadSafe Homes Program staff can also assist with facilitating these conversations and may reach out to your property owner on your behalf. We find that most property owners welcome the opportunity and are open to exploring the benefits of the program with their tenants. Both landlords and tenants have rights and responsibilities when it comes to lead paint.

Click here to learn more . I am not comfortable providing my personal financial information to the program. We understand it can be unsettling to share personal, financial information.

This information is treated as confidential. Financial information is used to verify total household income for unit in a property. Our program has income limit requirements in place to determine which funding source can be used to remediate a property.

All documentation requested from homeowners and tenants are used solely for this purpose. Tenants can submit their documents through an online portal. Will the information I provide affect the amount I receive for other state or federal benefits?

No. The income you report to complete the LSHP application will not impact the amount you receive for any other benefits you, or your tenant(s), receive. The information is solely for the LSHP program. I work but only get paid cash and have no printed paystubs.

If you are working and only receive cash payments, you can complete a Cash Income Form with our staff to verify your income.

Contact us to learn more about the LeadSafe Homes Program: Rhode Island Statewide Rental Registry NOTE: RIHousing does not manage the RI Department of Health’s (DOH) Statewide Lead Registry , and cannot provide information or updates about the registry process, lead inspections, or the issuance of a Certificate of Lead Conformance or a lead certificate.

For questions about the Lead Registry, please contact DOH: 401-222-4549 , rentalregistry@health. ri. gov .

For more information about a lead certificate, please visit www. lead1978. com or email doh.

leadprogram@health. ri. gov .

Lead Conformance Certificate Lead Conformance Certificates and Lead Conditional Safe Certificates are only valid for two years. If more than two years have elapsed since your certificate was issued, you will need to contact a certified lead inspector to obtain a new Conformance certificate.

If you are looking for documentation of the specifics of the lead remediation work done on your property from a LeadSafe Homes Loan completed prior to 2016 please send a request in writing to: LeadSafe Homes Attn: File Request Request must be accompanied by a check for $25. 00 made out to Rhode Island Housing to obtain the records from storage. Loan files beyond the file retention period may not be available.

For additional information regarding Certificate of Lead Conformance requirements please visit the Department of Health’s website at Lead Poisoning Information for Landlords.

Get in touch with our program representative Healthy Housing, Healthy Communities (H3C) Initiative RIHousing Healthy Housing, Healthy Communities (H3C) Plan Rhode Island Health and Housing Tool Kit Rhode Island Health and Housing Took Kit – Appendix A-K Are you a Newport resident? Check whether your current residence is located within an eligible census tract.

Only residents of census tract 405 are eligible for the FirstGenHomeRI pilot program. The map on the left shows the approximated eligible region. Unsure if your address is part of the eligible region?

Type in your address below to find out (Include street #, street name, Newport, RI). Data mapped by PolicyMap , an online GIS mapping tool. Do you live in Central Falls, Pawtucket, Newport or East Providence?

Check whether your current residence is located within an eligible census tract for application prioritization. Applications from residents who live in the census tract listed below are prioritized.

44007010900, 44007010800, 44007011100, 44007011000 44007016000, 44007015300, 44007015100, 44007015200, 44007015500, 44007016600, 44007016700, 44007017000, 44007017100, 44007016100, 44007016400 Type in your address below to learn if you are in the targeted area. (Include street #, street name, city, RI) . Data mapped by PolicyMap , an online GIS mapping tool.