(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today announced grants totaling more than $44 million for the identification and elimination of lead paint in homes. The grants were awarded to cities and counties in Ohio by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes.
“No parent should have to worry about a child being poisoned by living in their own home,” said Governor DeWine. “I am pleased that these grants will help communities in Ohio remove lead paint making our homes safer for families.”
The grant funding was awarded to the cities of Akron, Canton, Cleveland, Columbus, and Lima, as well as Cuyahoga, Erie, Mahoning, and Summit counties for lead-based paint hazard control and lead hazard reduction. A breakdown of funding can be found in the table below.
| Name | Total Amount |
| Akron | $4,600,000 |
| Canton | $3,300,000 |
| Cleveland | $9,700,000 |
| Columbus | $5,600,000 |
| Cuyahoga County | $5,600,000 |
| Erie County | $3,828,430 |
| Lima | $2,000,000 |
| Mahoning County | $4,600,000 |
| Summit County | $5,600,000 |
| $44,828,430 |
Governor DeWine has made lead removal and remediation, as well as early intervention and treatment a priority. In March, he announced a plan to combat lead poisoning by encouraging screening, increasing early intervention services, and expanding the lead workers and contractors workforce.
In August, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved a request from the Ohio Department of Medicaid to enhance and expand its Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) by allowing the funding to be used in more meaningful ways.
Governor DeWine announced a statewide Lead Advisory Committee this month to help prevent and treat lead poisoning and to lead the state’s efforts to abate and remediate lead contamination.
Lead exposure is a preventable, environmental public health threat to children, who are exposed to deteriorating lead paint (dust) in houses and apartments built prior to 1978. Exposure to lead causes issues with genitive development, behavior, IQ, hearing and speech.