An audit from the Office of the Inspector General shows that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development had inadequate oversight of lead-based paint reporting and remediation in its public housing and Housing Choice Voucher programs.
The OIG audit accused HUD of failing to make sure that public housing agencies completed required lead-based paint inspections. For homes built after 1977, the OIG says HUD did not require public housing agencies to report or mitigate cases involving children with environmental intervention blood lead levels (EIBLLs) residing in public or assisted housing. The OIG wrote in its audit that this increased “the potential of exposing children to lead poisoning due to unsafe living conditions.”
The OIG issued a series of recommendations to HUD to tighten its oversight of lead-paint removal. For example, the OIG urged HUD to expand its inspection and abatement requirements and to implement tighter procedures and controls that would ensure public housing agencies comply with lead safety requirements.
Source:
“HUD Lacked Adequate Oversight of Lead-Based Paint Reporting and Remediation in its Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher Programs,” Office of Inspector General (June 14, 2018)
