Department of Development Services
Housing and Community Development Division
250 Constitution Plaza
Hartford, CT  06103
(860) 757-9005   

CITY OF HARTFORD

Lead-Based Paint HAZARD REDUCTION Program

GENERAL PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The City of Hartford conducts a Lead Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program. Sponsored in cooperation with the State of Connecticut and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, this program will provide assistance to owners of properties located in the City of Hartford that have been cited by the Health Department as having toxic levels of lead.

Eligible owners receive a 0% interest ten year loan. This loan will be available for the purpose of abating lead and related rehabilitation.

Due to the limited amount of funds available for this program in relationship to the projected need, only one loan per owner will be approved during the first round.

1. Selection Process:

All completed applications and required supporting documentation will be submitted to the Department of Human Services which will in coordination with the Health Department approve or reject applications for assistance based on specific eligibility criteria and program requirements.

2. Program Requirements:

- Building must be privately owned.

- Building must be located in a high risk area in the City of Hartford.

- Property owner must been cited by the Hartford Health Department for toxic levels of lead in the owner’s building.

- Property owner must be current on payment of property taxes with the City of Hartford.

- Occupants of building must be low and/or moderate income.

- Property owner must adhere to the Lead Abatement Plan and the Lead Management Plan prepared and approved for that property.

3. Priority Criteria:

- Occupied properties that have been repeatedly cited for toxic levels of lead.

- Occupied properties of the families of children who have been hospitalized for chelation at a medical facility.

- Occupied properties of the families of children who have been diagnosed with elevated blood levels.

- Properties occupied by children under 6 years of age.

4. Eligible Property Owners:

- Owners must have title to the cited property.

- Cited code violations on the property must be corrected.

- Owners must agree to have the interior and the exterior of the property inspected for lead and Housing Quality Standards by the City of Hartford.

- Owners must agree to not displace tenants presently occupying the property.

- Owners must agree that prior to renting any vacant unit, the owner agrees to notify the City of Hartford and allow the City 30 days in which to provide three referrals as occupants of the unit

                5. The City of Hartford

                    The City of Hartford will perform the following functions in this very complex program:

a. Interview building owners and building occupants.

b. Refer children for lead screening and test blood for children under 6 years of age who live in the building.

c. Inspect entire building for toxic levels of lead.

d. Temporarily relocate occupants while abatement underway.

e. Prepare Lead Abatement Plan and Work Specifications.

f. Obtain Licensed Lead Abatement Contractor for Owner to Contract With and Supervise Contract Signing.

g. Inspect work and pay contractor.

h. Conduct post-abatement clearance tests and wipe tests.

i. Refer children for retest at 6 month and 1 year intervals following completion of abatement.

6. Eligible Lead Abatement and Rehabilitation Activities:

The Lead Abatement Plan will identify the specific items in the building that need to be lead abated. Here are examples of typical lead-abated items.

- Windows

- Wood Trim baseboards and doors

- Floors

- Walls

- Ceilings

- Porches and exterior play area and other common areas

Eligible rehabilitation activities include:

a) essential non-lead abatement work that is necessary in order to assure the integrity of the lead abatement work (such as a leaking roof);

b) essential non-lead abatement work that is essential for health and safety reasons (such as a GFCI in a bathroom where the leaded medicine cabinet is being replaced and the leaded walls incapsulated).

The property will be inspected prior to the start of eligible lead abatement work. Cost estimates and specifications or write-ups will be developed in a manner approved by the City. All work must be completed as proposed conforming to applicable codes and standards.

7. Payment Procedures:

All work is to be completed by State licensed lead abatement contractors. Owners shall enter into a construction contract prescribed by the City, and will abide by the City’s procurement requirements.

Owners will attend a Pre-Award conference which will include schedules of work, Federal Requirements, Pre-Award Agenda, Notice to Proceed, Method of Payment, etc.

Reimbursement is based on payment requisitions, and inspection of buildings.

The total deferred loan amount will not be released until all work has been completed and approved by the City and all necessary documentation has been submitted. This documentation includes waste manifest, mechanics lien waivers, updated tenant demographics forms, proof of insurance, certificates of occupancy, and owners authorization for payment forms. However, partial payments will be allowed upon satisfactory inspection of work performed. Final payment is contingent on the outcome of post abatement testing and evidence of disposal of lead-based waste in conformance with federal and state requirements.

8. Historic Preservation:

All properties will be reviewed by the CT Historic Commission to assure that proposed actions will be in compliance with State and Federal regulations pertaining to historic preservation.

9. Terms of Deferred Loan Agreement:

a. Owners must agree to not permanently displace tenants in order to participate in this program.

b. Owners must agree to maintain affordable rent levels for a minimum of ten years.

c. The U.S. Secretary of Interior Standards for Rehabilitation must be followed if the building is considered to be of historic significance by the local, State or federal historic agencies.

When the previous conditions are met the deferred loan will be made at the rate of 0% per year for ten years following the abatement. In addition, 10% of the principal will be subtracted annually. At the end of ten years, the deferred loan will be released. The deferred loan will be declared to be in default if the owner: (1) sells, or (2) refinances the building, or (3) violates the tenant occupancy restriction during the term of the 10 year deferred loan.

The entire original principal amount of the Lead Paint Mortgage Note plus all accrued interest shall immediately become due and payable upon the occurrence of any events of default listed in the Lead Paint Mortgage Deed and Note