Program Mission

To protect the health of children through the elimination of childhood lead poisoning.

Program Overview & Basic Eligibility

The primary purpose of the program is to reduce the exposure of young children to lead based paint hazards in their homes. Eligible property owners will be offered a five-year forgivable loan of up to $10,000 per unit and up to $2,000 for common/exterior areas for lead hazard control as identified in the City’s lead abatement plan. Loans are 0% interest, for a 5-year term and forgiven at the rate of 20% per year through the term of the loan. Property owners will be responsible for any costs of abatement in excess of the loan amount.

Priority will be given to applicants with an order to abate from the city of New Haven health Department. The Livable City Initiative’s strategy is to target the following housing situations:

• Units where lead poisoned children already reside;

• pre-1978 housing where young children reside; or

• pre-1978 housing where young children are likely to reside.

Loan applications will be prioritized as follows:

1. Homeowner/renter occupied or vacant units with an order to abate from the City of New Haven Health Department.

2. Dwelling units occupied with resident children less than 7 years of age.

3. Vacant or homeowner occupied dwelling units where the intention is to accommodate children less than 7 years of age after the lead hazard control activity is completed.

The property owner must carry sufficient property insurance to cover the value of the anticipated abatement loan and all other existing loan balances on the property.

Property owners must be current on all City of New Haven property tax, including vehicles. Tax payment plans are acceptable.

Property owners must not have any outstanding housing code violations or a history of housing code/anti-blight violations in the City of New Haven. Units must be code compliant at the time of abatement. Owners must agree to remedy any code issues identified by the City’s inspector. Pending available funding, low-income applicants may qualify for assistance in the form of a repayable loan to support code work identified. The lead program is not a substitute for a housing rehab program, but may allow for modest rehabilitation actions to ensure the viability of hazard reduction activities.

For lead hazard loans made to assist rental housing, at least 50% of the units must be occupied or made available to families with incomes at or below 50% of the area median income level as defined annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) HOME Program. The remaining loans shall be to units occupied or made available to families with incomes at or below 80% of the area median income level. During the loan period, a landlord shall give priority in renting assisted units to families with a child under the age of seven. For loans made to assist housing owned by owner occupants, all units assisted shall be the principal residence of families with income at or below 80% of the area median income level.

Current rents must not exceed HOME program rents by unit size as determined annually by HUD. During the affordability period of 5 years, the property will be monitored to ensure compliance with the rent and tenant income requirements. It is the owner’s responsibility to submit income and rent verifications of the tenants to the City of New Haven on a semiannual basis.

The property does not have a contract for project-based Section 8 subsidies. Tenants with section 8 certificates or vouchers do not affect eligibility.

Additional Program Requirements

1. Owners and tenants shall provide City health and code inspectors access to the unit before, during and at the completion of the hazard control activity.

2. Owners must agree to not permanently displace tenants. Tenants may be temporarily relocated at the expense of the owner as mandated by the Uniform Relocation Act or use the Yale lead safe house if available.

3. Properties listed on local or federal inventories of historic places must agree to follow the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

4. The City of New Haven will provide a list of recommended abatement contractors compiled through a formal request for qualification process. It is the responsibility of the owner/applicant to select and enter into a contractual relationship with a qualified/certified abatement contractor. The City of New Haven will enter into a contractual relationship with the property owner. Should the activity exceed the loan amount, the applicant shall exhaust private funds prior to the Lead Hazard Control funds, which will be drawn down in up to three installments. The final payment will be held until the City of New Haven Health Department issues a letter of compliance.

5. Owners must agree to abide by fair housing regulations and advertise vacancies locally.

Policy of Non-Discrimination

It is the policy of the City of New Haven to administer all programs in a non-discriminatory manner. Applications for lead based paint hazard control loans will be accepted and processed without regard to the applicant’s race, religion, color, national origin, sex, handicap or sexual orientation. If any applicant requires a reasonable accommodation in order to apply for these funds as a result of a handicap, he/she may request such by contacting LCI.

Questions: Contact City of New Haven, Health Department (203) 946-8173.

For additional information and application package, contact the Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund at 171 Orange Street, New Haven, CT (203) 624-7406.

Contact Name: Anne Conners (GNHCLF)

Contact Phone: 203-624-7406