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With funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Program provides technical and financial assistance to property owners to reduce hazards from lead-based paint. Since 1995, the Program has provided assistance to control the lead hazards in over 1650 homes and apartments throughout Vermont. Priority is given to properties occupied by families with a lead poisoned child.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

In order to be considered, an application must contain all of the requested information, including a Resident Income Verification Form for each dwelling unit. If the exact 'Year of Building Construction' is unknown, please estimate to the best of your knowledge. Property located in a flood hazard area must be properly insured in order to be eligible. Pictures of exterior street-side elevations are required in order to determine if properties are historic, which may affect the lead control strategy. Please use one of the two checklists provided below to insure that your application is complete.

Application Checklist for Owner-Occupied Properties:
Fully completed and signed Application
Fully completed and signed Resident Income Verification Form
Photographs of each exterior street-side elevation of the property
A copy of the most recent Tax Assessment

Application Checklist for Rental Properties:
Fully completed and signed Application
Fully completed and signed Resident Income Verification Forms for each dwelling unit
Photographs of each exterior street-side elevation of the property

Send all information to:
VHCB Lead Program
149 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05602

If you have questions, please contact the Lead Program at (800) 290-0527.

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Application Form (pdf)
Information for Tenants and Tenant Income Verification Form (pdf)
Project Flow Lead Program project step by step timeline.

Eligibility
To be eligible for the Program, a home or apartment must:

1) have been built before 1978;
2) have at least one (1) bedroom; and
3) not be intended primarily for occupancy by the elderly.

Highest priority will be given to units occupied by lead poisoned children, then to other units occupied by children under age six and other family sized units.

The following eligibility requirements also apply:

Owner-Occupied Properties:
1) Must be owner's primary residence
2) Owner's income cannot exceed 80% of the area median, as determined by HUD.

Rental Properties
1) Tenant's income cannot exceed 80% of the area median, as determined by HUD.
2) Owner must rent to income-eligible family for 3 years

Available Assistance
The Program will provide technical assistance, at no cost, to the property owner in the form of comprehensive lead paint testing, risk assessment, specification development, bidding and contractor selection assistance, construction management, clearance testing, and follow-up inspections.

Awards
Funds available to pay for the required work are in the form of grants and 0% interest deferred loans with up to 50% forgiveness amount on the loan.

Apartments/Rental Property
Each apartment is eligible for a total of up to $15,000. The grant-to-loan ratio for investor owned rental properties is 30% grant and 70% deferred loan.

Homeowners
Homeowners are eligible to receive a total of up to $25,000 with The grant-to-loan ratio for owner occupied properties is 40% grant and 60% deferred loan. Depending on the cost of the project and the availability of funds, owners may be required to complete some finish work such as final painting.

Lead Paint Hazard Control Work
Lead paint hazard control work with funds from this Program must be completed by a Vermont-certified Lead Abatement Contractor. Occupants of units undergoing lead hazard control must be relocated during the work and cannot return until the unit passes clearance dust wipe testing (see "Temporary Relocation" section below). Depending on the size of the home or apartment and the extent of the lead problem, the work can take anywhere from one to three weeks to complete. Property owners will receive documentation that the lead paint hazards have been controlled and guidance regarding ongoing maintenance.

Blood Lead Testing of Children Under Six (6)
The Vermont Department of Health offers free blood lead screening (fingerstick method) for all children under the age of six. HUD requires that all children under age 6 in families receiving assistance from this program be screened for lead. Contact the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at 1-800-439-8550 for a schedule of upcoming lead clinics throughout the State.

Temporary Relocation
Homeowners will be expected to make their own arrangements for relocation while the lead work is completed. Tenants in rental property cannot be permanently displaced because of the lead work under the Uniform Relocation Act. Generally, owners of rental property will be asked to assist VHCB in making arrangements for their tenants. In certain situations, VHCB has limited resources available to assist with reasonable relocation expenses. Occupants will be expected to pack up their belongings sufficiently to allow the contractor access to complete the work. Click here for homeowner and tenant packing information.

Ongoing Monitoring and Maintenance
Because it is usually too expensive to remove all of the lead-based paint, ongoing maintenance and monitoring by the property owner will be necessary to ensure that all of the lead-based paint hazards remain under control. The EMP law requires owners of pre-1978 rental housing and/or day care facilities, or their maintenance personnel, to attend a Vermont Department of Health-approved training, to perform Essential Maintenance Practices (EMPs), and to provide information about lead-based paint to tenants. Landlords who are enrolled in the Lead Hazard Reduction program are required to perform EMPs and file affidavits with the VT Department of Health in order to receive forgiveness on their loans. Compliance with the law should ensure that no lead hazards reappear in the future. For more information about the law, call 1-800-439-8550.

Learn more about the Vermont Lead-Based Paint Hazard Abatement Program:

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