St. Pete receives $2.5M to make homes safer
August 24, 2023 - St. Petersburg is the only city in Florida to receive $2.5 million through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to protect children and families from lead-based paint hazards, according to the city's Thursday announcement. "Unfortunately, lead-based paint continues to remain a serious safety issue, particularly in older homes that tend to be the most affordable for some residents of our community. I'm proud of the work we've already done to address lead hazards in our community, and grateful that this funding will ensure this important work continues," Welch said in a prepared statement. The funding will be used to implement a new lead hazard reduction program, which will build local capacity to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in privately-owned rentals or owner-occupied housing, with emphasis on underserved residents of the South St. Petersburg Community Redevelopment Area (CRA).