[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 141 (Friday, July 23, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40250-40259]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-18876]
[[Page 40249]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part IX
Department of Housing and Urban Development
_______________________________________________________________________
Notice of Funding Availability for the HUD Healthy Homes Initiative;
Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 141 / Friday, July 23, 1999 /
Notices
[[Page 40250]]
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR-4516-N-01]
Notice of Funding Availability for the HUD Healthy Homes
Initiative
AGENCY: Office of the Director of Lead Hazard Control, Office of the
Secretary, HUD.
ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Purpose of the Program. The purpose of the Healthy Homes
Initiative is to demonstrate cost effective, preventive measures to
correct multiple safety and health hazards in the home environment
which produce serious diseases and injuries in children.
Available Funds. Approximately $3.5 million.
Eligible Applicants. Research institutions, not-for-profit
institutions, and for-profit firms located in the U.S., State and local
governments, and Federally-recognized Indian Tribes. For-profit firms
are not allowed to include a fee in the cost proposal (i.e., no profit
can be made from the project). Federal agencies and federal employees
are not eligible to apply for this program.
Application Deadline. September 23, 1999.
Match. None.
If you are interested in applying for funding under this
initiative, please review the following additional information.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
I. Application Due Date, Application Kits, Further Information, and
Technical Assistance
Application Due Date. Submit an original and four copies of your
completed application on or before 12:00 midnight Eastern Time on
September 23, 1999.
Address for Submitting Applications. For Mailed Applications. The
address for mailed applications is: Department of Housing and Urban
Development, Office of Lead Hazard Control, 451 Seventh Street, SW,
Room P3206, Washington, D.C. 20410.
For Overnight/Express Mail or Hand Carried Applications. The
address for applications that are hand carried or sent via overnight
delivery is: HUD Office of Lead Hazard Control, Suite 3206, 490
L'Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, D.C. 20024.
For Application Kits. You may obtain an application kit from the
HUD Office of Lead Hazard Control at the address shown above. When
requesting an application kit, please refer to ``Healthy Homes
Initiative NOFA.'' Please be sure to provide your name, address
(including zip code), and telephone number (including area code).
Alternatively, you may obtain an application kit by downloading it from
the internet at http://www.hud.gov.
For Further Information Contact. Ms. Ellen Taylor, Planning and
Standards Division, Office of Lead Hazard Control, at the address
above; telephone (202) 755-1785, extension 116, or Ms. Karen Williams,
Grants Officer, extension 118 (these are not toll-free numbers).
Hearing- and speech-impaired persons may access the above telephone
numbers via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay
Service at 1-800-877-8339.
II. Amount Allocated
Approximately $3.5 million will be available to fund demonstration
projects in FY 1999. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis
following evaluation of all proposals according to the Rating Factors
described in section V(B). HUD anticipates that approximately 3 to 5
grants will be awarded, ranging from approximately $250,000 to
approximately $2,500,000.
III. Program Description, Eligible Applicants, and Eligible
Activities
(A) Program Description
(1) Background. In the FY 1999 Budget, HUD proposed a Healthy Homes
Initiative (sometimes referred to as the ``Initiative'' or ``HHI'')
that would protect children from housing conditions responsible for
multiple diseases and injuries. The Initiative departs from the more
traditional approach of attempting to correct one hazard at a time
(e.g., asbestos, radon).
The Healthy Homes Initiative builds upon HUD's existing housing-
related health and safety issues, including lead hazard control,
building structural safety, electrical safety, and fire protection to
address multiple childhood diseases and injuries related to housing in
a more coordinated fashion. A coordinated effort is feasible because a
limited number of building deficiencies contribute to many hazards.
Substantial savings are possible using this approach, because separate
visits to a home by an inspector, public health nurse, or outreach
worker if independently done can add significant cost to efforts to
eliminate hazards.
In addition to deficiencies in basic housing facilities that may
impact health, changes in the U.S. housing stock and more sophisticated
epidemiological methods and biomedical research have led to the
identification of new and often more subtle health hazards in the
residential environment. While such hazards will tend to be found
disproportionately in housing that is substandard (e.g. structural
problems, lack of adequate heat, etc.), such housing-related
environmental hazards may also exist in housing that is otherwise of
good quality. Appendix A briefly describes the housing-associated
health and injury hazards HUD considers key targets for intervention.
Appendix B lists the references that serve as the basis for the
information provided in this NOFA.
(B) Healthy Homes Activities
HUD has identified four categories for grouping Healthy Homes
activities. These are: (1) Excess moisture reduction, (2) dust control,
(3) ventilation and control of toxins, and (4) education. These four
activities are described in this section.
(1) Excess moisture reduction: Moisture problems are evident in
many homes, more so in older urban areas and communities with humid
climates. While high moisture levels alone are not sufficient to
necessarily result in health hazards, it is a common precursor.
Moisture problems can lead to paint deterioration (lead poisoning),
mold formation (pulmonary hemosiderosis in infants), higher
concentrations of dust mites, cockroach infestation, asthma and
allergen sensitization, and structural hazards associated with rot and
rust (injuries). In a 1995 study of pulmonary hemosiderosis in
Cleveland, Ohio, toxic molds were identified in 65% of homes within the
target areas, compared to a national prevalence rate of 3%. The disease
in infants associated with this exposure (infant pulmonary hemorrhage)
had a 30% mortality rate. Nationally, this mold-related disease appears
to have a low prevalence, but, for those children who contract this
disease, a very high mortality rate. There is also evidence that
certain molds can be important triggers of asthma in children, a
disease which has seen a 160% increase in the past fifteen years in
children under five. In addition, the presence of moisture problems is
a risk factor for respiratory illnesses and symptoms, especially in
children.
Structural problems can allow moisture intrusion, as well as create
safety and fire hazards and provide access for rodent and insect pests.
Structural defects can result from improper construction, poor
maintenance, or natural hazards. Holes in floors are present in more
than one million U.S. homes. Open cracks or holes in walls (four
million homes) and broken plaster or peeling paint (three
[[Page 40251]]
million homes) are even more prevalent. Moisture problems require a
variety of corrective interventions, ranging from simple patching to
correction of basic drainage.
(2) Dust Control. Dust sources, sinks and traps can serve as a
vehicle for a variety of hazardous agents, such as lead, allergens, and
pesticide residues. Settled and airborne dust can become problems where
surface conditions hinder cleaning, such as rough or porous surfaces.
Dust is the principal pathway through which children are exposed to
lead-based paint and mold and is also an exposure route for allergens,
dust mites, and some pesticides. In young children, transmission occurs
principally through normal hand-to-mouth contact. Some dust traps are
relatively easily addressed, for example, the removal of carpets and
sealing of floor surfaces. Dust remediation often consists of removal
by using special vacuum systems, and the creation of smooth and
cleanable surfaces, as well as controlling dust sources, such as sinks
(e.g., draperies), sources such as paint and exterior bare soil, and
unsafe work practices (uncontrolled renovation). New household vacuums
with dust sensors are now available on the retail market and warrant
study regarding their effectiveness in house dust control. Another key
research need involves the sink and filtering action of carpets, that
is, the way in which they attract, trap and release dust and other
pollutants. Low-cost dust control methods are available and may cost as
little as $250 per unit.
(3) Ventilation and control of toxins. Ventilation can be either a
problem or an intervention. Proper ventilation supplies adequate oxygen
and removes carbon dioxide and other pollutants, such as allergens.
Virtually no home ventilation system actively supplies clean fresh air;
instead, infiltration through building ``leakage'' is the norm,
although tighter building envelopes and better insulation typically
reduce fresh air incursion. In some climates, increasing ventilation
can result in increased moisture problems. Poorly-designed systems can
contribute to dispersal of mold, soil gases (such as radon) and other
contaminants into the living space. Carbon monoxide exposures can occur
through combustion spillage caused by airflow reversal in chimneys or
use of unvented heaters or appliances. Carbon monoxide alarms and
airflow analysis that could detect dangerous air movements are rare in
U.S. housing. Improperly-maintained or inadequately vented heating and
cooking appliances may introduce hazardous gases and particulate matter
into the living environment and are also related to fire hazards.
Building materials, cleaning products, and appliances can emit gases
with irritant, allergic, or other toxic properties. Ozone generators,
for example, are known to increase indoor ozone with no positive impact
on air quality.
(4) Education. Education is an important part of most of the
interventions that will be implemented. Occupants can be encouraged to
use checklists, such as that provided in HUD's ``Danger in the Home''
brochure, to identify and correct hazards, and create a safer and
healthier home environment. Occupant behavior can be modified using
prompting tools that can be especially effective in preventing injuries
or illnesses at low cost ($100-$200 per unit). For example, provision
of a hot water thermometer (as a ``prompting device'') is known to
result in reductions in scald injuries, because hot water heater
temperatures are lowered and residents know to keep them lowered.
Education and outreach efforts also need to be targeted to multiple
audiences, such as residential construction contractors, health care
deliverers and housing specialists.
(C) Baseline Assessment and Initiation of Projects
Through the Healthy Homes Initiative, HUD will initiate the
baseline assessment of available risk reduction techniques and research
on the control of key hazards described in Appendix A, and initiate
projects to promote implementation of techniques demonstrated to be
successful. Grantees will perform research and demonstrate and assess
interventions addressing multiple housing-related problems affecting
the health of children and develop and disseminate interventions
appropriate to residential environments.
The main tasks to be addressed by these projects include the
following:
(1) Identification of homes where intervention would be
appropriate.
(2) Identification and evaluation of effective methods of hazard
abatement and risk reduction.
(3) Development of appropriately-scaled and efficient intervention
strategies.
(4) Selection of efficient strategies for evaluating intervention
effectiveness.
(5) Development of local capacity to operate sustainable programs
to prevent and control toxic housing-based hazards, especially in low
and very-low income residences.
HUD has decided to initiate the HHI projects primarily by issuing
competitively awarded grants this fiscal year. On February 26, 1999,
HUD issued a Notice of Funds Availability targeted at mold and moisture
control in inner city housing. That NOFA was published in the Federal
Register as part of HUD's FY 1999 SuperNOFA (see 64 FR 9719-9724). The
broader projects funded though this NOFA, published today, will allow
HUD to assess whether and how well mold and moisture control can be
integrated into other hazard control efforts. (This Notice, and the
application kit, also appears on HUD's Web site, at www.hud.gov/lea.)
HUD will evaluate proposals based on the elements described below.
Awards are expected to be made by September, 1999.
(D) Project Elements
Project elements include:
(1) Pilot-testing and implementing housing assessment, maintenance,
renovation and construction techniques to identify and correct housing-
related illness and injury risk factors.
(2) Developing and delivering public education to prevent both
emerging and well-recognized housing-related childhood diseases and
injuries, and promote the use of identified solutions.
(3) Conducting research that evaluates the effectiveness of housing
interventions and public education campaigns, and provides the
knowledge base for recommending future use of the most cost-effective
strategies.
(E) Goals and Objectives
The primary goal of this program is to protect children by
supporting one or more demonstration projects employing cost-effective,
replicable interventions to correct safety and health hazards in the
home environment capable of producing serious diseases and injuries in
children.
Objectives include the following:
(1) Developing a cost-effective protocol for identifying homes that
are candidates for interventions, identifying hazards in these homes,
and screening out homes where structural or other condition factors
(e.g., cost accessibility) make interventions infeasible or
impractical.
(2) Developing a flexible set of intervention strategies that take
into account the range of conditions likely to be encountered in older
housing, and the need to maximize the number of housing units that
receive an intervention.
(3) Developing an efficient strategy for evaluating the
effectiveness of interventions in preventing disease and injury in
children.
(4) Building local capacity to develop a sustainable program that
will continue
[[Page 40252]]
to prevent and, where they occur, minimize and control housing--based
hazards in low- and very-low income residences when HUD funding is
exhausted.
(5) Affirmatively furthering fair housing and environmental
justice.
(6) Mobilizing public and private resources, involving cooperation
among all levels of government, the private sector, and community-based
organizations to develop the most promising, cost-effective methods for
identifying and controlling housing-based hazards.
(7) Integrating safe work practices into housing maintenance,
repair, and improvements.
(8) To the greatest extent feasible, promoting job training,
employment, and other economic opportunities for low-income and
minority residents and businesses which are owned by and/or employ low-
income and minority residents as defined in 24 CFR 135.5.
(F) Eligible Activities
You will be afforded considerable latitude in designing and
implementing the interventions to prevent or correct safety and health
hazards in the home environment capable of producing serious diseases
and injuries in children. However, in developing a strategy, you should
use all reasonably available sources of information on controlling
housing-based hazards in buildings and protecting workers and occupants
during and after the intervention process. HUD is interested in
promoting housing intervention approaches that result in the reduction
of health threats for the maximum number of residents, and in
particular low-income children, and that demonstrate replicable
techniques which are cost-effective and efficient.
The following direct activities and support activities are eligible
under this grant program.
(1) Direct Project Elements (activities conducted by you and any
sub-recipients):
(a) Performing evaluations of eligible housing to determine the
presence of housing-based hazards (e.g., mold growth, unvented
appliances, exposed steam pipes or radiators, damaged lead-based paint)
through the use of generally accepted testing procedures.
(b) Conducting medical examinations of young children for
conditions caused or exacerbated by exposure to hazards where this is
considered essential to your project, and there are no alternative
sources to cover these costs.
(c) Conducting housing interventions to remediate existing housing-
based hazards and address conditions that could result in their
recurrence. Any lead hazard evaluation and control work shall be
conducted by certified performers in accordance with the HUD Guidelines
for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing
(``Guidelines'') and other applicable regulations.
(d) Carrying out temporary relocation of families and individuals
during the period in which intervention is conducted and until the time
the affected unit receives clearance for reoccupancy. Residents so
relocated should be guaranteed the choice of returning to the unit
after the intervention.
(e) Performing medical testing recommended by a physician or
applicable occupational or public health agency for individuals in
hazardous conditions and environmental sampling to protect the health
of the intervention workers, supervisors, and contractors.
(f) Undertaking housing rehabilitation activities that are
specifically required to carry out effective control of housing-based
hazards, and without which the intervention could not be completed and
maintained. Grant funds under this program may also be used to control
immediate lead-based paint hazards.
(g) Conducting clearance testing and analysis for lead, mold,
carbon monoxide and/or other toxins as appropriate, with respect to
generally accepted standards or criteria, or where not available, other
appropriate levels justified in conjunction with the project.
(h) Carrying out architectural, engineering and work specification
development and other construction management services necessary to,
and in direct support of, activities to control housing-based hazards
and remediate existing hazards.
(i) Providing training on safe maintenance practices to homeowners,
renters, painters, remodelers, and housing maintenance staff working in
low- or very-low income housing.
(j) Providing cleaning supplies for hazard intervention and hazard
control to community/neighborhood-based organizations for use by
homeowners and tenants in low income housing, or to such homeowners,
and tenants directly.
(k) Conducting general or targeted community awareness or education
programs on environmental health and safety hazards. This activity
would include training on safe maintenance and renovation practices,
among other topics, and further fair housing and environmental justice
goals. It would also include making materials available, upon request,
in alternative formats for persons with disabilities (e.g., Braille,
audio, large type), and in languages other than English that are common
in the community, whenever possible.
(l) Securing liability insurance for hazard intervention and hazard
evaluation and control activities to be performed.
(m) Supporting data collection, analysis, and evaluation of project
activities. This activity is separate from administrative costs.
(n) Conducting applied research activities directed at
demonstration of cost-effective evaluation and intervention methods for
preventing housing-based hazards.
(o) Presenting research findings at a scientific conference in each
project year following the first year of activity.
(p) Maintaining a registry (updated at least monthly) of housing
units in which housing-based hazards were not found during evaluation,
and those in which such problems and hazards have been controlled.
Units on the registry should be affirmatively marketed to families with
young children and such families should be given preference for
occupancy when they are vacant.
(q) Preparing quarterly progress reports, interim and final
research reports, and an overall final grant report detailing
activities, findings, conclusions and recommendations, at the
conclusion of grant activities.
(2) Support Elements.
(a) Your administrative costs.
(b) Program planning and management costs of sub-grantees and other
sub-recipients.
(G) Ineligible Activities
You cannot use program funds for the following:
(1) Purchase of real property.
(2) Purchase or lease of equipment having a per unit cost in excess
of $5,000, unless prior written approval is obtained from HUD.
(3) Medical treatment costs.
IV. Program Requirements
Applicants are subject to the following requirements:
(A) Threshold Requirements--Compliance with Fair Housing and Civil
Rights Laws
With the exception of Federally recognized Indian tribes, all
applicants and their subrecipients must comply with all Fair Housing
and civil rights laws, statutes, regulations and executive orders as
enumerated in 24 CFR 5.105(a). If you are a Federally recognized Indian
tribe, you must comply with the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Indian Civil Rights Act.
[[Page 40253]]
If you, the applicant--
(1) Have been charged with a systemic violation of the Fair Housing
Act by the Secretary alleging ongoing discrimination;
(2) Are a defendant in a Fair Housing Act lawsuit filed by the
Department of Justice alleging an ongoing pattern or practice of
discrimination; or
(3) Have received a letter of noncompliance findings under Title VI
of the Civil Rights Act, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,
or Section 109 of title I of the Housing and Community Development Act
of 1974--
HUD will not rank and rate your application under this NOFA if the
charge, lawsuit, or letter of findings has not been resolved to the
satisfaction of the Department before the application deadline stated
in the individual program NOFA. HUD's decision regarding whether a
charge, lawsuit, or a letter of findings has been satisfactorily
resolved will be based upon whether appropriate actions have been taken
to address allegations of ongoing discrimination in the policies or
practices involved in the charge, lawsuit, or letter of findings.
(B) Additional Nondiscrimination Requirements
You, the applicant, and your subrecipients, must comply with the
Americans with Disabilities Act and Title IX of the Education
Amendments Act of 1972.
(C) Other Requirements
(1) Budgeting. Administrative Costs. There is a 10% maximum for
administrative costs. The application kit contains specific information
on allowable administrative costs.
(2) Period of Performance. The period of performance cannot exceed
36 months.
(3) Coastal Barrier Resources Act. Pursuant to the Coastal Barrier
Resources Act (16 U.S.C. 3501), funds may not be used for properties
located in the Coastal Barrier Resources System.
(4) Flood Disaster Protection Act. Under the Flood Disaster
Protection Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4001-4128), funds may not be used for
construction, reconstruction, repair or improvement of a building or
mobile home which is located in an area identified by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as having special flood hazards
unless:
(i) The community in which the area is situated is participating in
the National Flood Insurance Program in accordance with the applicable
regulations (44 CFR parts 59-79), or less than a year has passed since
FEMA notification regarding these hazards; and
(ii) Where the community is participating in the National Flood
Insurance Program, flood insurance on the property is obtained in
accordance with section 102(a) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act (42
U.S.C. 4012a(a)). You are responsible for assuring that flood insurance
is obtained and maintained for the appropriate amount and term.
(5) National Historic Preservation Act. The National Historic
Preservation Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 470) (NHPA) and the regulations at
36 CFR part 800 apply to the mold intervention and related hazard
control activities that are undertaken pursuant to this program. HUD
and the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation have developed an
optional Model Agreement for use by grantees and State Historic
Preservation Officers in carrying out any lead hazard control
activities under this program.
(6) Waste Disposal. Waste disposal will be handled according to the
requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration
(OSHA) (e.g., 29 CFR part 1910 and/or 1926, as applicable), the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (e.g., 40 CFR parts 61, 260-282,
300-374, and/or 700-799, as applicable), the Department of
Transportation (e.g., 49 CFR parts 171-177), and/or appropriate State
or local regulatory agency(ies). Disposal of wastes from intervention
activities that contain lead-based paint but are not classified as
hazardous will be handled in accordance with the HUD Guidelines.
(7) Worker Protection Procedures. You must comply with the
requirements of OSHA (e.g., 29 CFR part 1910 and/or 1926, as
applicable), or the State or local occupational safety and health
regulations, whichever are most stringent.
(8) Written Policies and Procedures. You must have written policies
and procedures for all phases of intervention, including evaluation,
development of specifications, financing, occupant relocation,
independent project inspection, and clearance testing (e.g., for mold,
lead, carbon monoxide or other hazards, as applicable). You and all
your subcontractors, sub-recipients, and their contractors must comply
with these policies and procedures.
(9) Continued Availability of Safe Housing to Low-Income Families.
Units in which housing-based hazards have been controlled under this
program shall be occupied by and/or continue to be available to low-
income residents.
(10) Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing. If you are a successful
applicant, you will have a duty to affirmatively further fair housing.
You, the applicant, should include in your application or work plan the
specific steps that you will take to:
(i) Address the elimination of impediments to fair housing that
were identified in the jurisdiction's Analysis of Impediments (AI) to
Fair Housing Choice;
(ii) Remedy discrimination in housing; or
(iii) Promote fair housing rights and fair housing choice.
(11) Economic Opportunities for Low and Very Low-Income Persons
(Section 3). Recipients of assistance must comply with section 3 of the
Housing and Urban development Act of 1968, 12 U.S.C. 1701u (Economic
Opportunities for Low and Very Low-Income Persons in Connection with
Assisted Projects) and the HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 135,
including the reporting requirements of subpart E. Section 3 requires
recipients to ensure that, to the greatest extent feasible, training,
employment and other economic opportunities will be directed to (1) low
and very low income persons, particularly those who are recipients of
government assistance for housing, and (2) business concerns which
provide economic opportunities to low and very low income persons.
(12) Data collection and provision. You must collect, maintain and
provide to HUD the data necessary to document the various approaches
used to evaluate and control housing-based hazards, including
evaluation and control methods, building conditions, medical and
familial information (with confidentiality of individually-identifiable
information ensured) in order to determine the effectiveness and
relative cost of these methods.
(13) Certifications and Assurances. Certification forms are
included in the application kit. These forms include:
(i) An assurance in accordance with 24 CFR 50.3(h) that the
applicant will carry out its responsibilities regarding HUD's
environmental review.
(ii) A certification of compliance with the Uniform Relocation
Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, and the
implementing regulations at 49 CFR part 24; and HUD Handbook 1378
(Tenant Assistance, Relocation and Real Property Acquisition).
(iii) An assurance that the applicant's financial management system
meets the standards for fund control and accountability described in 24
CFR 85.20 and 84.21.
(iv) An assurance that any pre-intervention and clearance
evaluation for lead, and lead hazard abatement will be conducted by
certified performers.
[[Page 40254]]
(v) An assurance that project funds obtained through this NOFA will
not replace existing resources dedicated to any ongoing project.
(vi) Assurance that human research subjects will be protected from
research risks in conformance with the Common Rule (Federal Policy for
the Protection of Human Subjects, codified by HUD at 24 CFR part 60).
(vii) Certification that the applicant will comply with the
requirements of the Fair Housing Act, title VI of the Civil Rights Act
of 1964, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age
Discrimination Act of 1975, and will affirmatively further fair
housing. Federally recognized Indian tribes must certify that they will
comply with the requirements of the Age Discrimination Act of 1975,
section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Indian Civil
Rights Act.
(14) Davis-Bacon Act. The Davis-Bacon Act does not apply to this
program. However, if program funds are used in conjunction with other
Federal programs in which Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates apply, then
Davis-Bacon provisions would apply to the extent required under the
other Federal programs.
V. Application Selection Process
(A) Rating and Ranking
HUD intends to fund the highest ranked application(s) within the
limits of funding. Once available funds have been allocated to meet the
requested or negotiated amounts of the top eligible applicant(s), HUD
reserves the right, in successive order, to offer any residual amount
as partial funding to the next eligible applicant provided HUD, in its
sole judgment, is satisfied that the residual amount is sufficient to
support a viable, though reduced effort. In the event that HUD commits
an error that, when corrected, would result in the selection of an
otherwise eligible applicant, HUD may select that applicant when
sufficient funds become available.
(1) Negotiation. After HUD has rated and ranked all applications
and has made selections, HUD may require that all winners participate
in negotiations to determine the specific terms of the grant agreement
and budget. In cases where HUD cannot successfully conclude
negotiations with a selected applicant or a selected applicant fails to
provide HUD with requested information, an award will not be made to
that applicant. In this instance, HUD may offer an award to the next
highest ranking applicant, and proceed with negotiations with the next
highest ranking applicant.
(2) Adjustments to Funding. HUD reserves the right to fund less
than the full amount requested in your application to ensure the fair
distribution of the funds and to ensure that the purposes of a specific
program are met. HUD may choose not to fund any portion of your
application that is not eligible for funding under statutory or
regulatory requirements, or which do not meet the requirements of this
NOFA or which may duplicate other funded programs or activities.
(B) Factors for Award Used to Evaluate and Rate Applications
This section provides the factors for rating and ranking your
application and the maximum points for each factor. The application kit
provides additional instructions for responding to these factors. The
maximum number of points to be awarded is 102.
(1) Bonus Points. This NOFA provides for the award of up to two
bonus points for eligible activities/projects that the applicant
proposes to be located in high performing federally designated
Empowerment Zones (EZs) or Enterprise Communities (ECs). To be eligible
to receive the two bonus points, you must certify that the proposed
activities/projects: (a) Will be located in a Federally designated
Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community and will serve residents of
the EZ/EC; and (b) are consistent with the strategic plan of the EZ/EC.
If you provide this certification and HUD determines that the area is a
high performing EZ/EC, you will be awarded the two points. A listing of
the high performing federally designated EZs/ECs are available from the
SuperNOFA Information Center, or through the HUD web site on the
Internet at http://www.HUD.gov, as well as in the Federal Register.
(2) Court-Ordered Consideration. For any application submitted by
the City of Dallas, Texas, for funds under this NOFA for which the City
of Dallas is eligible to apply, HUD will consider the extent to which
the strategies or plans in the city's application or applications will
be used to eradicate the vestiges of racial segregation in the Dallas
Housing Authority's low income housing programs. The City of Dallas
should address the effect, if any, that vestiges of racial segregation
in Dallas Housing Authority's low income housing programs have on
potential participants in the programs covered by this NOFA, and
identify proposed actions for remedying those vestiges. HUD may add up
to 2 points to the score based on this consideration. This special
consideration results from an order of the U.S. District Court for the
Northern District of Texas, Dallas, Division. (This Section V(B)(2) is
limited to applications submitted by the City of Dallas.)
(3) Five Rating Factors. The five rating factors by which your
application will be evaluated are as follows:
Rating Factor 1: Capacity of the Applicant and Relevant Organizational
Experience (20 Points)
This factor addresses your organizational capacity necessary to
successfully implement your proposed activities in a timely manner. The
rating of you or your staff includes any community-based organizations,
sub-contractors, consultants, sub-recipients, and members of consortia
that are firmly committed to your project. In rating this factor HUD
will consider:
(1) Your recent, relevant and successful demonstrated experience in
undertaking eligible program activities. You must describe the
knowledge and experience of the proposed overall project director and
day-to-day program manager in planning and managing large and complex
interdisciplinary programs, especially those involving housing
rehabilitation, public health, or environmental programs. In your
narrative response for this factor, you should include information on
your program staff, their experience, commitment to the program, and
position titles. Resumes of up to three (3) pages each and position
descriptions for up to three personnel in addition to the project
director and program manager, and a clearly delineated organizational
chart for your project must be included as an appendix. Copies of job
announcements (including salary range) should be included for any key
positions that are currently vacant. Indicate the percentage of time
that key personnel will devote to your project and any salary costs to
be paid by funds from this program. Include descriptions of the
experience and qualifications of subcontractors and consultants.
(2) Your previous experience in reducing or eliminating housing-
based hazards (if any).
(3) Whether you have sufficient personnel or will be able to
quickly retain qualified experts or professionals to begin your
proposed program immediately and to perform your proposed activities in
a timely and effective fashion. Describe how principal components of
your agency will participate in or support your project. You should
thoroughly describe capacity, as demonstrated by experience in
initiating and implementing related
[[Page 40255]]
environmental, health, or housing projects.
Rating Factor 2: Need/Extent of the Problem (15 Points)
This factor addresses the extent to which there is a need for your
proposed program activities to address documented problems in your
target area(s).
(1) Document a critical level of need for your proposed activities
in the area where activities will be carried out. You should pay
specific attention to documenting need as it applies to your target
area(s), rather than the larger geographic area.
(2) Your documentation of need should summarize available data
linking housing-based hazards to disease or injuries to children in
your target area(s). Examples of supporting data that might be used to
demonstrate need, include:
(a) Economic and demographic data relevant to your target area(s),
including poverty and unemployment rates;
(b) Rates of childhood illnesses or injuries(e.g., asthma, burns)
that could be caused or exacerbated by exposure to conditions in the
home environment, among children residing in your target area(s), and/
or rates of environmentally-related disease or adverse health effects
(e.g., hypertension, elevated blood lead levels) in your target
area(s);
(c) Unavailability of other Federal, State or local funding or
private sector resources that could be, or is used, to address the
problem.
(3) For the areas targeted for your project activities, provide
data available in your jurisdiction's currently approved Consolidated
Plan (including the AI), or derived from 1990 Census Data, or derived
from other sources (all data should be documented) that address:
(a) The age and condition of housing;
(b) The number and percentage of very-low and low income families
with incomes less than 80% of the median income, as determined by HUD,
for the area, with adjustments for smaller and larger families (See
application kit for additional information.);
(c) The number and proportion of children under six years old.
(d) Describe how proposed activities would help HUD achieve its
goals for this program area.
(e) There must be a direct relationship between the proposed
activities, community needs, and the purpose of the program.
Rating Factor 3: Soundness of Approach (45 Points)
This factor addresses the quality and cost-effectiveness of your
proposed work plan. You should present information on the proposed
approach for controlling housing-based hazards. The response to this
factor should include the following elements:
(1) Intervention Strategy (30 points). Describe the strategy you
will use in planning and executing the housing-based hazard
interventions. You should provide information on:
(a) Strategy for Implementing the Demonstration Project (10
points). Describe your overall strategy for your proposed demonstration
project. The description must include a discussion of:
(i) Your overall strategy for identifying, selecting, prioritizing,
and enrolling units of eligible housing in which you will undertake
housing-based hazards interventions, and then targeting such units to
the low-income families with young children for the long run. Describe
the extent to which your proposed activities will occur in an
Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community (EZ/EC), if applicable.
(ii) The estimated total number of owner occupied and/or rental
units in which you will conduct interventions.
(iii) The degree to which your work plan focuses on housing units
with young children, and how you propose to make treated units
available to these households for the long run. Describe your planned
approach to control housing-based hazards before children are affected;
and/or to control these hazards in units where children have already
been treated for illnesses or injuries associated with housing-based
hazards (e.g., burns, lead poisoning, asthma). Describe the process for
your referral of children for medical case management if this is not
ongoing.
(iv) The financing strategy, including eligibility requirements,
terms, conditions, and amounts available, to be employed in conducting
housing-based hazards activities. You must discuss the way funds will
be administered (e.g., use of grants, deferred loans, forgivable loans,
other resources, private sector financing, etc.) as well as the agency
which will administer the process. Describe how your proposed project
will further and support the policy priorities of the Department,
including providing opportunities for self-sufficiency, particularly
for persons enrolled in welfare-to-work programs; or providing
educational and job training opportunities.
(b) Outreach and Community Involvement (5 points). You must
describe:
(i) Proposed methods of community education. These should include
community awareness, education, training, and outreach programs in
support of your work plan and objectives. This should include general
and/or targeted efforts undertaken to assist your efforts in reducing
exposure to housing-based hazards. To the extent possible, programs
should be culturally sensitive, targeted, and linguistically
appropriate.
(ii) Proposed involvement of neighborhood or community-based
organizations in the proposed activities. These activities may include
outreach, community education, marketing, inspection, and housing
evaluations and interventions.
(c) Technical Approach for Conducting Housing-Based Hazards
Interventions (15 points)
(i) Describe your process for evaluating units of eligible housing
in which you will undertake housing-based hazards interventions.
(ii) Describe any specialized testing or visual inspection that you
will conduct during unit inspection with reference to source(s) of the
protocol(s). Describe technical qualifications and requirements for
laboratories. To be eligible for points under this factor, any
laboratories you use must successfully participate in the Clinical
Laboratory Program, National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program,
and/or National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program, or other
applicable quality assurance program, which you demonstrate to be
substantially equivalent.
(iii) Describe the housing-based hazards interventions you will
undertake. Provide an estimate of the per unit costs (and a basis for
those estimates) for the type of interventions that are planned.
Provide a schedule for initiating and conducting interventions in the
selected units. Discuss efforts to incorporate cost-effective control
methods to address multiple environmental health and safety hazards
(e.g., deteriorating lead-based paint, damaged asbestos-containing
materials, lack of smoke detectors). Work must be conducted in
accordance with the HUD Guidelines in units where lead hazards are
identified.
(iv) Describe your process for the development of work
specifications for selected interventions. Describe your management
processes to be used to ensure the cost-effectiveness of the housing
interventions. Discuss your contracting process to obtain contractors
to conduct interventions in selected units.
(v) Describe your plan for the temporary relocation of occupants of
units selected for intervention, and how you will determine the need
for
[[Page 40256]]
relocation. Address the use of safe houses and other housing
arrangements, storage of household goods, stipends, incentives, etc.
(vi) Describe your plan for ensuring right of return and/or first
referral for occupants of units selected for intervention who have had
to move for intervention to occur.
(2) Economic Opportunity (5 points) Describe methods that will
result in economic opportunities for residents and businesses in the
community where activities will be carried out. Include information on
how you will provide employment, business development, and contract
opportunities. Describe how you or your partners will satisfy the
requirements of Section 3 of the Housing and Community Development Act
of 1992 to give preference to hiring low-and very low-income persons or
contracting with businesses owned by or employing low-and very-low
income persons.
(3) Program Evaluation and Research (10 points).
(a) Identify and discuss the specific methods you will use to
measure progress, and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.
Describe how the information will be obtained, documented, and
reported.
(b) Provide a detailed description of your proposed applied
research activities. Your research designs should be feasible and
display thorough knowledge of relevant scientific literature. They
should include an appropriate plan for managing, analyzing and
archiving data. Also, quality assurance mechanisms must be well
integrated into your research design to ensure the validity and quality
of collected data.
(4) Budget (Not Scored). Your proposed budget will be evaluated for
the extent to which it is reasonable, clearly justified, and consistent
with the intended use of program funds. HUD is not required to approve
or fund all proposed activities. You must thoroughly document and
justify all budget categories and costs (Part B of Standard Form 424A)
and all major tasks. Describe in detail your budgeted costs for each
required program element (major task) included in your overall plan.
The four required program elements are: administration; education and
outreach; control of housing-based hazard (including sampling); and
program evaluation and applied research.
Rating Factor 4: Leveraging Resources (10 Points)
This factor addresses your ability to secure other community
resources (such as financing, supplies or services) which can be
combined with HUD's resources to achieve project purposes.
(1) In evaluating this factor, HUD will consider the extent to
which you have partnered with other entities to secure additional
resources to increase the effectiveness of your proposed project.
Describe how other organizations will participate in or support your
project. Resources may include funding or in-kind contributions (such
as services or equipment) allocated to your proposed program. Resources
may be provided by governmental entities, public or private
organizations, or other entities willing to be your partner in this
effort.
(2) Each source of contributions must be supported by a letter of
commitment from the contributing entity, whether a public or private
source, which must describe the contributed resources that will be used
in your program. Staff in-kind contributions should be given a market-
based monetary value. If you fail to provide letters of commitment with
specific details including the amount of the actual contributions, you
will not get rating points for this factor. Each letter of commitment,
memorandum of understanding, or agreement to participate shall include
the organization's name and the proposed level of commitment and
responsibilities as they relate to the proposed program. The commitment
must be signed by an official legally able to make commitments on
behalf of the organization.
Rating Factor 5: Comprehensiveness and Coordination (10 Points)
This factor addresses the extent to which your program reflects a
coordinated, community-based process of identifying needs and building
a system to address the needs by using available HUD and other
community resources. In evaluating this factor, HUD will consider:
(1) The degree of coordination of your proposed project with those
of other groups or organizations to best support and coordinate all
activities, and the specific steps you will take to share information
on solutions and outcomes with others. Any written agreements or
memoranda of understanding in place must be described.
(2) The extent to which you have developed linkages, or the
specific steps you will take to develop linkages, to coordinate your
activities so solutions are holistic and comprehensive. Linkages
include those with other HUD, Federal, State or locally funded
activities through meetings, information networks, planning processes,
or other means.
(3) The degree of coordination with housing rehabilitation, housing
and health inspection, and other related housing programs.
(a) Describe your plan for integrating and coordinating housing-
based hazards interventions with other housing-related activities
(e.g., rehabilitation, weatherization, removal of code violations, and
other similar work).
(b) Describe your plans to consolidate housing-based hazards
interventions with applicable housing codes and health regulations.
(c) Describe your plans to generate and use public subsidies or
other resources (such as revolving loan funds) to finance future
interventions to prevent and control housing-based hazards,
particularly in low- and very-low-income housing.
(d) Detail the extent to which you will ensure that the needs of
minorities and persons with disabilities will be addressed adequately
during your intervention activities; and that housing in which
environmental hazards have been addressed will remain available and
affordable in the long run for low income, minority, large families,
and for persons with disabilities.
(4) If applicable, the application should demonstrate a knowledge
of the target community's Consolidated Plan and/or Analysis of
Impediments to Fair Housing Choice and detail the Consolidated Plan
issue areas in which your organization participates. Describe the
degree to which you have become actively involved (or if not currently
active, the specific steps you will take to become active) in your
community's Consolidated Planning process established to identify and
address a need/problem that is related in whole or part, directly, or
indirectly the activities you propose.
VI. Application Submission Requirements
(A) Applicant Information
You should submit your application in accordance with the format
and instructions contained in this program section of this NOFA. The
following is a checklist of required application contents:
(1) Transmittal letter that summarizes your proposed program,
provides the dollar amount requested, and identifies you and your
partners in the application.
(2) The name, mailing address, telephone number, and principal
contact person. If you are a consortium of associates, sub-recipients,
partners, major subcontractors, joint venture participants, or others
contributing
[[Page 40257]]
resources to the project, similar information shall also be provided
for each of these entities and you must specify the lead entity.
(3) Completed Forms HUD-2880, Applicant/Recipient Disclosure/Update
Report; Certification Regarding Lobbying; and SF-LLL, Disclosure of
Lobbying Activities, where applicable.
(4) Standard Forms SF-424, 424A, 424B, and other certifications and
assurances listed in this program section. (see application kit).
(5) A narrative statement addressing the rating factors for award.
The narrative statement must be numbered in accordance with each factor
for award (Factor 1 through 5). The response to the rating factors must
not exceed a total of 30 pages.
(6) Any attachments, appendices, references, or other relevant
information may accompany the project description, but must not exceed
twenty (20) pages for your entire application.
(7) A detailed budget with supporting cost justification for all
budget categories of your funding request.
(8) The resumes and position descriptions of your project director
and program manager and up to three additional key personnel.
VII. Corrections to Deficient Applications
After the application due date, HUD may not, consistent with its
regulations in 24 CFR part 4, subpart B, consider any unsolicited
information you, the applicant, may want to provide. HUD may contact
you, however, to clarify an item in your application or to correct
technical deficiencies. You should note, however, that HUD may not seek
clarification of items or responses that improve the substantive
quality of your response to any selection factors. In order not to
unreasonably exclude applications from being rated and ranked, HUD may,
however, contact applicants to ensure proper completion of the
application and will do so on a uniform basis for all applicants.
Examples of curable (correctable) technical deficiencies include your
failure to submit the proper certifications or your failure to submit
an application that contains an original signature by an authorized
official. In each case, HUD will notify you in writing by describing
the clarification or technical deficiency. HUD will notify applicants
by facsimile or by return receipt requested. You must submit
clarifications or corrections of technical deficiencies in accordance
with the information provided by HUD within 14 calendar days of the
date of receipt of the HUD notification. If your deficiency is not
corrected within this time period, HUD will reject your application as
incomplete, and it will not be considered for funding.
VIII. Findings and Certifications
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement
The information collection requirements contained in this NOFA were
submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for review and
approval under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501-3520). The approval number when assigned will be
announced by separate notice published in the Federal Register. An
agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information unless the collection displays
a valid control number.
Executive Order 12612, Federalism The General Counsel, as the
Designated Official under section 6(a) of
Executive Order 12612, Federalism, has determined that the
provisions of this NOFA do not have ``federalism implications'' within
the meaning of the Order.
Accountability in the Provision of HUD Assistance
Section 102 of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
Reform Act of 1989 (HUD Reform Act) and the final rule codified at 24
CFR part 4, subpart A, published on April 1, 1996 (61 FR 1448), contain
a number of provisions that are designed to ensure greater
accountability and integrity in the provision of certain types of
assistance administered by HUD. On January 14, 1992, HUD published, at
57 FR 1942, a notice that also provides information on the
implementation of section 102. The documentation, public access, and
disclosure requirements of section 102 are applicable to assistance
awarded under this NOFA as follows:
Documentation and public access requirements. HUD will ensure that
documentation and other information regarding each application
submitted pursuant to this NOFA are sufficient to indicate that basis
upon which assistance was provided or denied. This material, including
any letters of support, will be made available for public inspection
for a five-year period beginning not less than 30 days after the award
of the assistance. Material will be made available in accordance with
the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and HUD's implementing
regulations at 24 CFR part 15. In addition, HUD will include the
recipients of assistance pursuant to this NOFA in its Federal Register
notice of all recipients of HUD assistance awarded on a competitive
basis.
Disclosures. HUD will make available to the public for five years
all applicant disclosure reports (HUD Form 2880) submitted in
connection with this NOFA. Update reports (also Form 2880) will be made
available along with the applicant disclosure reports, but in no case
for a period of less than three years. All reports--both applicant
disclosures and updates--will be made available in accordance with the
Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and HUD's implementing
regulations at 24 CFR part 15.
Section 103 HUD Reform Act
HUD will comply with section 103 of the Department of Housing and
Urban Development Reform Act of 1989 and HUD's implementing regulations
in subpart B of 24 CFR part 4 with regard to the funding competition
announced today. These requirements continue to apply until the
announcement of the selection of successful applicants. HUD employees
involved in the review of applications and in the making of funding
decisions are limited by section 103 from providing advance information
to any person (other than an authorized employee of HUD) concerning
funding decisions, or from otherwise giving any applicant an unfair
competitive advantage. Persons who apply for assistance in this
competition should confine their inquiries to the subject areas
permitted under section 103 and subpart B of 24 CFR part 4.
Applicants or employees who have ethics related questions should
contact the HUD Office of Ethics (202) 708-3815. (This is not a toll-
free number.) For HUD employees who have specific program questions,
such as whether particular subject matter can be discussed with persons
outside HUD, the employee should contact the appropriate Field Office
Counsel.
Prohibition Against Lobbying Activities
Applicants for funding under this NOFA are subject to the
provisions of section 319 of the Department of Interior and Related
Agencies Appropriation Act for Fiscal Year 1991 (31 U.S.C. 1352) (the
Byrd Amendment) and to the provisions of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of
1995 (Pub. L. 104-65; approved December 19, 1995).
The Byrd Amendment, which is implemented in regulations at 24 CFR
part 87, prohibits applicants for Federal contracts and grants from
using appropriated funds to attempt to influence Federal executive or
legislative officers or employees in
[[Page 40258]]
connection with obtaining such assistance, or with its extension,
continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification. The Byrd Amendment
applies to the funds that are the subject of this NOFA. Therefore,
applicants must file a certification stating that they have not made
and will not make any prohibited payments and, if any payments or
agreement to make payments of nonappropriated funds for these purposes
have been made, a form SF-LLL disclosing such payments must be
submitted. The certification and the SF-LLL are included as Attachment
D of this NOFA.
The Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-65; approved
December 19, 1995), which repealed section 112 of the HUD Reform Act,
requires all persons and entities who lobby covered executive or
legislative branch officials to register with the Secretary of the
Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives and file reports
concerning their lobbying activities.
IX. Environmental Requirements
Activities assisted under this program are subject to HUD
environmental review to the extent required under 24 CFR part 50. An
award under the Healthy Homes Initiative does not constitute approval
of specific sites where activities may be carried out. Following award
execution, HUD will perform environmental reviews for activities to be
carried out on properties proposed by your organization. You may not
rehabilitate, convert, repair or construct a property, or commit or
expend program funds or non-HUD funds for these program activities for
any eligible property, until you receive written notification from the
appropriate HUD official that HUD has completed its environmental
review and the property has been approved. The results of environmental
reviews may require that proposed activities be modified or proposed
sites rejected.
X. Authority
The authority for this program is the Departments of Veterans
Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies
Appropriations Act, 1999, Pub. L. 105-276 (approved October 21, 1998),
112 Stat. 2461, 2482.
Dated: July 16, 1999.
David Jacobs,
Director of the Office of Lead Hazard Control.
Appendix A
The following briefly describes the housing-associated health
and injury hazards HUD considers key targets for intervention:
Allergens and asthma: Experts estimate that 14 million Americans
have asthma, with an associated annual cost of $14 billion. Asthma
is now recognized as the leading cause of school and work absence,
emergency room visits and hospitalization. For sensitized children,
exposure to antigens from dust mites, certain pets, and cockroaches
has been associated with more severe asthma. There is a
preponderance of evidence showing a dose-response relationship
between exposure and prevalence of asthma and allergies; some
evidence also indicates that exposure to antigens early in life may
predispose or hasten the onset of allergies and asthma Dust mites
have been identified as the largest trigger for asthma and
allergies. Cockroach allergens appear to be excessive in 30-50% of
inner-city housing and affect 5-15% of the population, whereas dust
mite appears to be the dominant allergen in other environments.
Interventions known to have beneficial effects include installation
of impervious mattress and pillow covers, which can reduce allergen
exposure by 90%. Other dust mite control measures include
dehumidification, laundering bedding, and removal of carpets and
other dust sinks. Cleaning carpets with tannic acid solution has
also been demonstrated to greatly reduce dust mites. Asthma
prevention program costs have been estimated at about $500 per unit,
which includes about $150 for educational interventions.
Asbestos: Asbestos is a mineral fiber that has been used
commonly in a variety of building construction materials and
household products for insulation and as a fire-retardant. The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC) have banned most asbestos products.
Manufacturers have also voluntarily limited uses of asbestos. Today,
asbestos is most commonly found in older homes: in pipe and furnace
insulation materials, asbestos shingles, millboard, textured paints
and other coating materials, and floor tiles. Elevated
concentrations of airborne asbestos can occur when asbestos-
containing materials (ACM) are disturbed by cutting, sanding or
other remodeling activities. Improper attempts to remove these
materials can release asbestos fibers into the air in homes,
increasing asbestos levels and endangering people living in those
homes. The most dangerous asbestos fibers are too small to be
visible. After they are inhaled, they can remain and accumulate in
the lungs. Asbestos can cause lung cancer, mesothelioma (a cancer of
the chest and abdominal linings), and asbestosis (irreversible lung
scarring that can be fatal). Most people with asbestos-related
diseases were exposed to elevated concentrations on the job; some
developed disease from exposure to clothing and equipment brought
home from job sites. As with radon, dose-response extrapolations
suggest that lower level exposures, as may occur when asbestos-
containing building materials deteriorate or are disturbed, may also
cause cancer.
Intact asbestos-containing materials are not a hazard; they
should be monitored for damage or deterioration and isolated if
possible. Repair of damaged or deteriorating ACM usually involves
either sealing (encapsulation) or covering (enclosure) it. Repair is
usually cheaper than removal, but it may make later removal of
asbestos more difficult and costly. Repairs should be done only by a
professional trained and certified to handle asbestos safely and can
cost from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars; removal can be
more expensive.
Combustion products of heating and cooking appliances: Burning
of oil, natural gas, kerosene, and wood for heating or cooking
purposes can release a variety of combustion products of health
concern. Depending upon the fuel, these may include carbon monoxide
(a chemical asphyxiant), oxides of nitrogen (respiratory irritants),
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (e.g., the carcinogen
benzo[a]pyrene), and airborne particulate matter (respiratory
irritants). Carbon monoxide, an odorless gas, can be fatal. Nitrogen
dioxide can damage the respiratory tract, and sulfur dioxide can
irritate the eyes, nose and respiratory tract. Smoke and other
particulates irritate the eyes, nose and throat, and can cause lung
cancer.
Improper venting and poor maintenance of heating systems and
cooking appliances can dramatically increase exposure to combustion
products. Experts recommend having combustion heating systems
inspected by a trained professional every year to identify blocked
openings to flues and chimneys; cracked or disconnected flue pipe;
dirty filters; rust or cracks in the heat exchanger; soot or
creosote build-up; and exhaust or gas odors. Installing a carbon
monoxide detector is also recommended; however, such a detector will
not detect other combustion by-products.
Insect and Rodent pests: The observed association between
exposure to cockroach antigen and asthma severity has already been
noted above. In addition, cockroaches may act as vehicles to
contaminate and environmental surfaces with certain pathogenic
organisms. Rodents can transmit a number of communicable diseases to
humans, either through bites, arthropod vectors, or exposure to
aerosolized excreta. In addition, humans can become sensitized to
proteins in rodent, urine, dander and saliva. Such sensitization may
contribute to asthma severity among children. Insect and rodent
infestation is frequently associated with substandard housing that
makes it difficult to eliminate. Treatment of rodent and insect
infestations often includes the use of toxic pesticides which may
present hazards to occupants (see below). Integrated pest management
(IPM) for rodents and cockroaches, which reduces the use of
pesticides, is estimated to cost approximately $150 per unit. IPM
control measures include sealing holes and cracks, removing food
sources and use of traps.
Lead: Exposure to lead, especially from deteriorating lead-based
paint, remains one of the most important and best-studied of the
household environmental hazards to children. Although blood lead
levels have fallen nationally, a large reservoir of lead remains in
housing. The most recent national survey, conducted from 1991-94,
showed that nearly one million U.S. preschoolers still have elevated
blood lead levels. Overall, the prevalence rate among all children
under six
[[Page 40259]]
years of age is 4.4%. Among low-income children living in older
housing where lead-based paint is most prevalent, the rate climbs to
16%; and for African-American children living in such housing, it
reaches 21%.
HUD estimates that 64 million dwellings have some lead-based
paint, and that 20 million have lead-based paint hazards. Of those,
about 3.6 million have young children and of those, about 500,000
units have inadequate cash flow to respond to lead-based paint
hazards. Costs can range anywhere from $500 to $15,000 per unit.
Corrective measures include paint stabilization, enclosure and
removal of certain building components coated with lead paint, and
cleanup and ``clearance testing'', which ensures the unit is safe
for young children.
Mold and moisture: An analysis of several pulmonary disease
studies estimates that 25% of airways disease, and 60% of
interstitial lung disease may be associated with moisture in the
home or work environment. Moisture is a precursor to the growth of
mold and other biological agents, which is also associated with
respiratory symptoms. An investigation of a cluster of pulmonary
hemosiderosis (PH) cases in infants showed PH was associated with a
history of recent water damage to homes and with levels of the mold
Stachybotrys atra (SA) in air and in cultured surface samples.
Associations between exposure to SA and ``sick building'' symptoms
in adults have also been observed. Other related toxigenic fungi
have been found in association with SA-associated illness and could
play a role. For sensitive individuals, exposure to a wide variety
of common molds may also aggravate asthma. Addressing mold problems
in housing requires coordination among the medical, public health,
microbiological, housing, and building science communities.
The cost of mold/moisture-related intervention work (e.g.,
integrated pest management, clean & tune furnace, remove debris
,vent clothes dryer, cover dirt floor with impermeable vapor
barrier) is a few hundred dollars, unless major modification of the
ventilation system is needed. In Cleveland, mold interventions,
including repairs to ventilation systems and basement flooring, in
the most heavily-contaminated homes range from $500--$5,000, with
some costs also being dedicated to lead hazard control
simultaneously through its lead+asthma program.
Pesticide residues: According to the EPA, 75 percent of U.S.
households used at least one pesticide product indoors during the
past year. Products used most often are insecticides and
disinfectants. Another study suggests 80 percent of most people's
exposure to pesticides occurs indoors and that measurable levels of
up to a dozen pesticides have been found in the air inside homes.
The amount of pesticides found in homes appears to be greater than
can be explained by recent pesticide use in those households; other
possible sources include contaminated soil or dust that migrates in
from outside, stored pesticide containers, and household surfaces
that collect and then release the pesticides. Pesticides used in and
around the home include products to control insects (insecticides),
termites (termiticides), rodents (rodenticides), molds and
fungi(fungicides), and microbes (disinfectants). In 1990, the
American Association of Poison Control Centers reported that some
79,000 children were involved in common household pesticide
poisonings or exposures. In households with children under five
years old, almost one-half stored at least one pesticide product
within reach of children. Exposure to chlorpyriphos (CP), a commonly
used organophosphate insecticide, in the prenatal and early
postnatal period may impair neurodevelopment. While CP is a
biodegradable pesticide, substantial persistence of CP in house dust
has been demonstrated. Exposure to high levels of cyclodiene
pesticides, commonly associated with misapplication, has produced
various symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, muscle twitching,
weakness, tingling sensations, and nausea. In addition, EPA is
concerned that cyclodienes might cause long-term damage to the liver
and the central nervous system, as well as an increased risk of
cancer.
There are available data on hazard evaluation methods and
remediation effectiveness regarding pesticide residues in the home
environment.
Radon progeny: The National Academy of Sciences estimates that
approximately 15,000 cases of lung cancer per year are related to
radon exposure. Epidemiologic studies of miners exposed to high
levels of radon in inhaled air have defined the dose response
relation for radon-induced lung cancer at high exposure levels.
Extrapolation of these data has been used to estimate the excess
risk of lung cancer attributable to exposure to radon gas at the
lower levels found in homes. These estimates indicate that radon gas
is an important cause of lung cancer deaths in the U.S. Excessive
exposures are typically related to home ventilation, structural
integrity and location.
Radon measurement and remediation methods are well-developed,
and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that every
home be measured for radon. EPA estimates that materials and labor
costs for radon reduction in an existing home are $800-$2500.
Including radon resistant techniques in new home construction costs
$350-$500, and can save up to $65 annually in energy costs,
according to the EPA.
Take home hazards from work/hobbies and work at home: When the
clothing, hair, skin, or shoes of workers become contaminated with
hazardous materials in the workplace, such contaminants may
inadvertently be carried to the home environment and/or an
automobile. Such ``take-home'' exposures have been demonstrated, for
example, in homes of lead-exposed workers. In addition, certain
hobbies or workplaces located in the home may provide an especially
great risk of household contamination.
Control methods include storing and laundering work clothes
separately, and showering and changing before leaving work, or
immediately after arriving home. Once a home becomes contaminated,
cleaning floors and contact surfaces and replacing furnishings may
be necessary to reduce exposures.
Unintentional injuries/fire: Unintentional injury is now the
leading cause of death and disability among children younger than 15
years of age. In 1997, nearly 7 million persons in the United States
were disabled for at least 1 full day by unintentional injuries
received at home. During the same year, 28,400 deaths were
attributable to unintentional home injuries, of which 1800 occurred
among children 0-4 years of age. Among young children, three types
of events accounted for more than \3/4\ of deaths: fires/ burns,
drownings, and mechanical suffocation. Falls and poisoning are the
next most common.
Home visitation protocols have been shown to be effective in
reducing exposure to such hazards. The ``add-on'' cost of injury
prevention measures, when combined with other housing interventions
are estimated at about $100 per unit. This includes the cost of some
injury prevention devices, such as smoke alarms, electrical socket
covers, etc.
Appendix B
References
Institute of Medicine. Indoor Allergens, Assessing and Controlling
Adverse Health Effects, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.
1993.
Mott L., Our Children at Risk, Natural Resources Defense Council,
Washington, D.C. 1997.
Rom W.N. Ed. Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Little, Brown
and Co., Boston, 1992.
President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety
Risks to Children. Asthma and The Environment: An Action Plan to
protect Children, Washington, D.C. 1999
[FR Doc. 99-18876 Filed 7-22-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-32-P