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Adopt and present a resolution recognizing October 20-26, 2024 as National Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week in Solano County; and Receive an update on the Lead-based Paint Abatement Program
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Published Notice Required? Yes _____ No __X__
Public Hearing Required? Yes _____ No __X__
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Resource Management recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
1. Adopt and present a resolution recognizing October 20-26, 2024 as National Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week in Solano County; and
2. Receive an update on the Lead-based Paint Abatement Program.
SUMMARY:
Nationally, Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week is recognized to educate the community of the risk that lead poisoning presents to our children and how something as simple as a new coat of paint can prevent cognitive decline and enrich lives within our community. Lead is a toxic metal which can have harmful effects on the body, even in small amounts, and there are no safe levels of lead exposure. Lead poisoning is one of the most common environmental illnesses in California and across the nation and it is completely preventable. Through outreach, education and surveillance efforts, Solano residents can stay informed, identify potential hazards and decrease the incidence of lead poisoning in Solano County communities.
Historically, specific industries have contributed disproportionately to cases of lead poisoning in our communities. The paint industry has known for decades the dangers of lead-based paint and throughout the United States cases of lead poisoning disproportionately affect low-income communities where substandard housing conditions often exist.
In August 2019, after a 19-year legal effort, Solano County, along with nine other counties and cities in California, reached a settlement agreement with three major paint companies: The Sherwin-Williams Company, ConAgra Grocery Products Company, and NL Industries Company. Solano County’s portion of the settlement totaled $4.9 million dollars and is dedicated to mitigating lead-based paint hazards within our community, targeting households with children under the age of six (6) and pregnant mothers. The Department of Resource Management Environmental Health Division, in partnership with the Solano County Health & Social Services, Public Health Division has created a program to mitigate lead-based paint poisoning within our community.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The costs associated with preparing the agenda item are nominal and absorbed by the Department’s FY2024/25 Working Budget. There is no general fund impact. The cost of preparing the agenda item is nominal and absorbed by the Department’s FY2024/25 Working Budget.
DISCUSSION:
To promote Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, October 20-26, 2024, Resource Management is recognizing the work that has been done throughout Solano County and specific efforts to mitigate lead in our community through the Lead-based Paint Abatement Program. The divisions of Public Health and Environmental Health are also partners in implementing the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP), which provides services to the community for the purpose of increasing awareness regarding the hazards of lead exposure, reducing lead exposure, and increasing the number of children assessed and appropriately blood tested for lead poisoning. The CLPPP program offers home visitation, environmental home inspections, and nutritional assessments to families of children found to be severely lead-poisoned. In Fiscal Year 2023/24, 134 children and families were provided these services.
Lead-based Paint Abatement Program
The federal government banned the use of lead-based paint in 1978; thus, all buildings constructed prior to this time are expected to have some level of lead-based paint. There are approximately 121,959 houses built in Solano County prior to 1978; therefore, the funds available are insufficient to provide for complete lead-paint abatement for all residents. The lead-based paint abatement team (LPAT) created criteria to target a population most at risk of lead paint poisoning to ensure each dollar spent is having the maximum impact. Those most at risk for lead exposure and harmful effects include children under six years of age, siblings of children with known blood lead elevation, and pregnant women who can pass lead through the placenta to their unborn child. Unfortunately, health disparities persist and children living in poverty, low-income areas, and in poorly maintained or older homes are at an increased risk. Therefore, program eligibility criteria require that residences be constructed pre-1978, with children under the age of six or pregnant women living in the home and have friction surfaces on the inside of the residence that are not intact. These criteria ensure the program targets the homes of our most susceptible residents.
Staff developed a Lead-based Paint Abatement workplan (Attachment A) which the Board of Supervisors reviewed and adopted on February 8, 2022. Public Health and Environmental Health divisions have actively worked together on outreach campaigns and website applications that provide the community access to program staff to answer questions and to apply online for program abatement projects. Broader and more active outreach for abatement projects will begin upon completion of an initial pilot program, which will be conducted to ensure that the current draft selection process is comprehensive and effective. The pilot program began last year with the recruitment of a program coordinator (the main contact for the public), the selection of contractors and Public Health staff. Staff have identified potential pilot residences from the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) using their proactive program which is intended to have residences in high-risk areas self-identify and self-certify that they meet criteria to be part of the Lead-based Paint Abatement Program.
Challenges
Since 2021, the divisions have worked collaboratively toward creating and implementing a plan to mitigate lead-based paint hazards in our community with the settlement dollars awarded. This has been challenging because Solano County does not have any similar programs in existence to model a new program from and other jurisdictions are similarly challenged to implement such a program. In working with other jurisdictions, staff are sharing their expertise and lessons learned to create lead-based paint abatement programs to deliver these services.
Similar to other city/county jurisdictions throughout the State that are also implementing lead-based paint abatement programs with settlement dollars, the Lead-based Paint Abatement Team (LPAT) has found it difficult to find interested applicants that meet the requirements of the program as well as contractors willing and able to perform the testing and remediation requirements for these specialized and sometimes complex projects. The LPAT explored using existing Contractor agreements with General Services for testing of lead paint in residences to streamline the testing and bidding of pilot program projects in an effort to kick-start the program. However, staff quickly found that most contractors who conduct assessments and clearance inspections in Solano County are only interested in commercial projects, not residential. This is consistent with the delays that other jurisdictions are experiencing. Staff have contacted twelve companies to assist in this work and only two have responded with interest, one of which does not have the equipment required to do the assessment testing, and the other’s first estimate is triple the initial cost estimate per residence.
To date, staff has received four applications for abatement projects for the pilot program. One applicant completed all of their own work and is no longer eligible. Two other applicants were utilized to complete the initial lead assessment testing (efforts are ongoing to identify a permanent lead assessment testing company), and one is currently being scheduled for lead assessment testing. Next steps include defining the scopes of work based on the assessments conducted for use in identifying and selecting an abatement contractor to perform work and complete the initial pilot projects.
Another issue associated with these types of projects is the potential need to temporarily relocate individuals while abatement work is completed. In response, the LPAT is working to develop a process to provide relocation assistance, when warranted. The challenge is that Solano County does not have a program which can be utilized for payments for residential relocation, thus the development of this resource has proven difficult. Staff is developing a process utilizing gift cards with a cash value to be used in lieu of issuing checks for reimbursement. This method will provide the ability to fund the temporary relocation of program recipients required due to construction efforts.
Staff’s goal is to complete the first pilot program projects within the fiscal year and to deploy the full Lead-based Paint Abatement Program and outreach efforts by Spring 2025, with modifications made as needed, based on pricing, contractor availability and in response to any other lessons learned during the pilot program.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to adopt a resolution recognizing the fourth week of October as National Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. This is not recommended, because this resolution supports efforts to improve the health and well-being of families that live, learn, work, and play in Solano County.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Department of Resource Management, Environmental Health Division partnered with the Solano County Health and Social Services Department, Public Health Division on all prevention activities related to childhood lead poisoning prevention. General Services is assisting with contractor selection and project scoping.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION