Duluth tackles lead danger in aging rental properties

Duluth faces a tall order when it comes to dealing with lead contamination.

About nine in every 10 housing units in the community was built before 1978, when a ban on lead paint took effect, Karen Olesen, a senior planner for the city, said.

And the odds of a Duluth home containing lead are even higher because about half of the city’s homes are at least 60 years old, according to 2000 U.S. Census data.

Duluth’s housing stock is markedly older than what’s found in most of Minnesota, where about 20 percent of homes are 60-plus years old.

But the city has been meeting the challenge head-on since 1994, when it began working with residents to stabilize and remove lead hazards from living quarters. To date, Duluth has remediated lead contamination hazards in 1,193 housing units, but most of those efforts have focused on single-family homes.

That’s about to change, thanks to a $1.14 million grant the city just received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The money will be used to launch a new initiative targeted specifically at multi-unit rental housing, particularly buildings that are home to children.

“With some of the older properties we have out there in our community, there’s a good chance that children could potentially be poisoned,” Olesen said, describing the hazards of peeling paint and improper remodeling.

Lead exposure is particularly dangerous for children younger than 6, and the grant will provide for blood tests to determine if exposure has occurred. The Environmental Protection Agency warns that children poisoned by lead can suffer a number of effects, including damage to the brain and nervous system; behavioral and learning problems, such as hyperactivity; slowed growth; hearing problems and headaches.

Lead can harm adults, too, resulting in reproductive problems, high blood pressure, nerve disorders, memory problems and muscle and joint pain.

“There are still people who say, I grew up with lead paint, and I’m fine. What’s the big deal? But being around lead paint when it’s new instead of when it’s breaking down is totally different,” said Lynne Snyder, director of rehabilitation and real estate for the Duluth Housing and Redevelopment Authority.

As part of the grant, at least 100 owners of rental property will be trained on how to safely deal with lead. Often, it’s not necessary to remove lead from a building, so long as it can be stabilized.

At least 80 rentals will be inspected and tested for lead. The HRA also will partner with the American Lung Association, which will work to identify potential asthma triggers that could sensitize youngsters.

Brooke Dokken, a program manager for the American Lung Association in Duluth, said cockroaches, mice, mold, dust mites and second-hand smoke can be asthma hazards for children. Where issues are found, she said “our role is to coordinate with existing services.”

Likewise, Snyder said HRA staff will help property owners call in certified local contractors in situations where lead problems must be addressed. She said the grant will pay half of the cost, up to $6,000 per rental unit, with the landlord picking up the remainder.

Reiner Nelson, benefited from a similar program last summer, when he made improvements to two duplex buildings he owns in West Duluth.

“I do feel better knowing my properties are all up to code and that I’ve taken care of them the right way,” Nelson said. “I don’t want to be exposing tenants and family members to anything dangerous.”

Nelson’s duplexes date back to the early 1900s. He said it’s hard to know where lead lurks, from paint to plaster to old windows.

“There’s lead in all these old buildings,” he said.