Kenosha/Racine Lead-Free Communities Partnership, Kenosha, WI, USA

The Kenosha/Racine Lead-Free Communities Partnership was made possible through a grant from the United States Department of Housing and Lead Hazard Control

The Kenosha/Racine Lead-Free Communities Partnership is a joint venture of Kenosha County, Wisconsin and the city of Racine, Wisconsin, along with various community organizations. It began in March of 2007 as a three-year program with a goal of making 320 homes in Racine and Kenosha lead-safe. Its overall aim is to educate the public about the dangers of lead poisoning and to help low-income families with small children improve their living conditions by replacing and/or repairing the largest sources of lead in their home. As of July 9, 2009, 433 living units had been assessed and the program had cleared 321 homes of lead hazards.

Lead Demonstration Grant
The program was awarded a three year Lead Demonstration Grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction. The primary target of the program is the reinvestment neighborhoods of the cities of Kenosha and Racine due to the age of the housing stock and a higher percentage of at-risk low-income families. Some homes have received new siding, windows, doors, and walls through the program.

Targeted groups
The primary goal of the Kenosha/Racine Lead-Free Communities Partnership is to protect children under the age of six via lead hazard control. Lead based paint was banned in 1978 and as a result the program focuses on homes built before the ban was enacted. Children under the age of six are targeted due to the seriousness of brain damage that can occur if a child under six is poisoned by lead.

Stated goals
The goals of the program, for the three years of its grant between 2009 and 2012, are as follows:

Provide an appropriate level of interim controls and abatement services to identified housing units, and clearance testing for 250 residential units.
Continue to increase the pool of qualified lead abatement contractors by identifying and providing technical support to companies and/or organizations that otherwise do not have the capacity to perform abatement.
Provide an outreach service which includes lead-based paint risk assessments and education for the 200-250 residential units depending on vacancy rate.
Provide a full continuum of services for the children residing in the 250 units, including blood samples, reporting, treatment and medical follow-up.