Lead Paint Removal Program Moves Forward In SMC

REDWOOD CITY, CA — San Mateo County will work with a local nonprofit to remove lead paint from old homes, thanks to funding secured from a settlement with paint manufacturers.

According to the county, Rebuilding Together Peninsula will spearhead a lead paint hazard remediation program focused on residential housing. The program will be supported by $11.7 million in settlement funds awarded to San Mateo County, which joined Santa Clara County in filing a lawsuit back in 2000. While lead paint was banned broadly for residential use in the late 1970s, officials said its remnants remain in millions of homes in the Golden State.

"This settlement finally holds these companies accountable while providing much-needed funding to clean up the harm they have caused to generations of Californians," said Warren Slocum, vice president of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. "We know that children from low-income households are far more likely to be exposed to the dangers of lead paint because their housing is likely to be older."

The first year of the new program will focus on planning, development, hiring, lead testing and contracting, followed by a pilot program starting with three to five homes. From there, the county plans to expand restoration efforts to 20 to 25 homes per year, which will be free for homeowners.

The county estimates more than 50,000 homes built before 1950 have significant lead paint concerns, and more than 150,000 houses were built before the 1980s. County leaders will work with the nonprofit to establish criteria for selecting homes, with more information to follow as the details are hammered out.