Milwaukee Mayor to Allocate Additional $2.2M to Combat Lead Hazards

To combat the widespread risk of lead paint hazards in Milwaukee, Wis., households, mayor Tom Barrett is allocating an additional $2.2 million to the city's lead elimination budget, the Milwaukee Courier reports. The city was also awarded a $5.6 million Lead and Healthy Homes grant by the Department of Housing and Urban Development in October.

If the funds are approved by the Milwaukee Common Council, the city will hire and train 30 more contractors to assist in its long-term plan to eliminate lead paint and laterals in Milwaukee. Forty additional Milwaukee households will also be inspected for lead.

“The lead issue is very specific to and tends to be more impactful to people who live in poverty,” said George Hinton, CEO of the Social Development Commission. “I’m so proud of the fact that we’re taking action to address the issue that is attacking our community, not only from the standpoint of what it does to our children, but the effects later on in life.”

Barrett said that homes built before 1951 are likely to contain lead laterals and that the city has been working over the years to replace service lines. Barrett will present the budget to the Milwaukee Common Council this week; he is confident the council will approve the proposal. He stated that he has dedicated over $60 million towards lead elimination since he became mayor and that much progress has been made.