Notice of Funding Availability for the HUD Healthy Homes Initiative

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

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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