January 13, 2011

Congratulations to the Portland Housing Bureau and the Multnomah County Health Department, whose Healthy Homes Program is the recipient of a $1 million grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The awards were announced today by HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, who said that "these grants will help communities around the nation to protect families from lead exposure and other significant health and safety hazards."

Working with the County and with REACH Community Development Corporation, PHB expects to help more than 11,000 homes, including 175 rental units in Portland, reduce lead hazards and other health dangers. The grant will also fund outreach and education at almost 150 community events, helping many more residents learn how to keep their homes healthy.

We're excited to get started helping protect children and families from potentially dangerous home health and safety hazards. "With this federal money," Commissioner Fish said, "we can make a real impact...to ensure that people live in homes that are healthy and sustainable."

The program will be rolled out in April. If you're interested in finding out whether you're eligible to participate, call Andrea Matthiessen, PHB's Neighborhood Housing Manager, at (503) 823-2379.