HUD issues final rule regarding the presence of lead in a child’s blood

On Jan. 13, HUD issued the final rule which lowered the department’s threshold of lead in a child’s blood to match guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC. HUD’s new action level for lead in a young child’s blood is now five micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood, lower than the previous level of 20 micrograms. This change allows for a faster response when a young child is exposed to lead-based paint hazards in a HUD-assisted home. A housing provider will have to test the home and other potential sources of lead exposure within 15 days and ensure hazards are controlled within 30 days for any child under age six living in HUD-assisted housing who has an elevated blood level. The housing provider must report the case to HUD; HUD is providing a six-month phase-in period before compliance is required. This rule will cover $3 million HUD-assisted housing units built before 1978, when lead-based paint was banned for residential use.