Reports: HUD Failed to Track Lead Paint Cases, Ensure Fixes
Two recent reports indicate that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) had inadequate procedures for protecting children in subsidized housing against lead paint exposure. The reports from the Government Accountability Office and HUD's Office of Inspector General also say HUD lacks an adequate system of communication with the thousands of housing authorities it oversees, with no uniform way of tracking cases or ensuring that housing authorities are completing required inspections and fixing hazardous conditions. "HUD lacked assurance that public housing agencies properly identified and mitigated lead hazards, thus increasing the potential for exposing children to lead poisoning due to unsafe living conditions," according to the inspector general's office. Meanwhile, the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed changes to standards for lead-contaminated dust on floors and window sills to reduce exposure among children.