(Hartford, CT) – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Reps. John Larson (D-CT1), Joe Courtney (D-CT2), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT3), Jim Himes (D-CT4), and Elizabeth Esty (D-CT5) announced today that nearly $10 million in federal funds has been secured to help protect Connecticut families and children from the health and safety hazards of lead-based paint. Awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, the State of Connecticut Department of Housing received $3.7 million in Lead Reduction Demonstration grants and the cities of New Haven and Waterbury were awarded a combined nearly $6.5 million to help with the cities’ efforts to combat hazards – specifically in housing – from lead-based paint.

“These federal funds will be instrumental in assuring safe and healthy living conditions for all Connecticut residents – especially children. The HUD grants recognize the critical need to address the serious public health hazards caused by lead-based paint. Connecticut has a significant number of older housing units where lead paint was used.  These important funds allow for repairs to housing units and lead-based paint exposure education, outreach, and treatment. We applaud HUD for helping Connecticut and the cities of Waterbury and New Haven address this critical issue and investing in the health and safety of the children and communities. We will continue to advocate for additional future funding for the health of Connecticut’s residents,” the Connecticut delegation said.

In June, the delegation wrote to HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes in support of their state’s application for a grant to help continue efforts to reduce the risk of lead exposure for children of low income families in Connecticut. Earlier that month, Senators Blumenthal and Murphy and Representatives DeLauro and Esty wrote to HUD Secretary Julian Castro in support of New Haven and Waterbury’s applications for funding to help abate lead in housing units in the cities. The HUD grants will reduce the number of lead-poisoned children and protect families by targeting health hazards in homes with significant lead and/or other home health and safety hazards.