Lead Based Paint In Housing

This issue of the Owner Update will focus on lead based paint in housing. Most of our housing in this area, both owner-occupied and rentals, was built before 1978 when lead paint was used. In fact leaded paint was considered desirable because it was very durable. If you own housing built before 1950, the chances are over 90% that lead paint was used somewhere at some time on the interior, exterior or both.

At this time of year owners and managers are thinking about upcoming maintenance work and that makes this the logical time to consider how to work paint repair into the repair schedule.

Lead paint in assisted housing like TMHA’s Voucher Program became an inspection issue when LBP legislation passed in 2001.

Applicable Housing: rental housing built before 1978 AND having a tenant family with children under age 6 or a pregnant mother.

TMHA Inspection: inspector does a VISUAL inspection of painted surfaces inside and out for signs of deterioration, such as chipping, peeling, flaking, or checkering. Note that the visual inspection also covers outbuildings and common areas on the property.

Remember this: INTACT LEAD PAINT is not a hazard, so if the paint is repaired and in good shape, it passes inspection. End of story.

Clean up after repair. Evidence of scraped paint chips or excessive dust will fail a repair job. On exterior get rid of chips or cover with mulch.

In scheduling your maintenance work, consider the following suggestions to manage lead paint in your units.

I.D. your pre’78 housing, and develop a targeted maintenance / renovation schedule for these units. Some of the work that is done to eliminate LBP hazards, such as exterior siding and replacement windows also increases the value of the property.

Pay special attention to key problem areas, such as windows & window troughs and exterior trim such as porch decks, porch railings & fancy trim, and roof soffits & overhangs. Get a schedule to repaint or replace these elements on older units especially. We notice owners will vinyl side an older converted home, and forget to maintain trim that wasn’t sided. Or owners go to the trouble of replacing windows, but fail to repaint peeling old wood troughs.

Keep track of when we are going to do an inspection, and do a walk through to make sure that paint is in good repair before the inspection is done. This is a case where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Work safe. Working on old paint that might contain lead is harmful to workers as well as the families who live in the housing. The flip side of this Update gives some lead safe paint repair tips, and low cost options for training on safe work practices for owners and repair people. And don’t forget that TMHA has a HEPA vacuum available to help with your clean-up.

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