Marnie and Anthony Ficociello moved from the Twin Cities to rural Marathon County, Wisconsin, looking for a new lifestyle and more room for their growing family. They bought a large, old storefront property and began an ambitious renovation project. Midway through the project, they learned from a routine doctor’s visit that one of their children was lead poisoned. Their well-intentioned project had created high levels of lead dust in their home. With help from the Marathon County Health Department, the family worked quickly to clean up and control all the lead hazards.
Lead poisoning is a disease that children most often get from their homes. In older homes with chipping, peeling or worn paint or where renovation spreads lead dust, children pick up dust on their hands and then get lead in their bodies. Lead poisoning interferes with a child’s normal development. Children with lead poisoning face increased risks for learning problems, lower IQs and behavior problems.
The Ficociello family was fortunate, since they acted quickly to stop their lead exposure. Other less fortunate children stay lead poisoned for years, while other lead poisoned children remain hidden because they don’t get blood lead tests. Marnie Ficociello is now an outspoken advocate to protect families from the unnecessary and painful experiences caused by lead paint hazards.
Marnie Ficociello is right; lead poisoning is completely preventable. Wisconsin has set a goal to eliminate lead poisoning by 2010. In 2004, 3,393 Wisconsin children were reported with lead poisoning (blood lead levels of 10 micrograms or more), down from 7,867 lead poisoned children in 1998. Governor Jim Doyle has supported these efforts, including childhood lead poisoning prevention as a major component of his “KidsFirst” initiative. Wisconsin property owners have corrected lead hazards in thousands of dwellings. Local health agencies, with support from Governor Doyle, state legislators and federal agencies, conduct thousands of home visits, teaching parents and property owners how to protect children from lead paint hazards. State and local agencies have secured millions of federal grant dollars to correct lead hazards. By combining education and enforcement with grants and loans, Milwaukee and other Wisconsin communities are working with property owners to control lead hazards before more children get lead poisoned.
To prevent lead poisoning we must focus on our oldest housing. Older housing has more lead. Older housing has also had more time for friction, sunlight, or changes in moisture and temperature to cause paint and varnish to fail and to create lead hazards. The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) 2002 national survey found 54 percent of houses built before 1960 had lead paint hazards, while only 6 percent of houses built after 1959 had lead paint hazards.
Only nine states have more houses built before 1950 than Wisconsin. These properties have already provided housing for several generations and can provide safe and affordable family housing for another 100 years if they are maintained and if owners make the necessary capital improvements. A 2004 National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) survey indicates that home buyers increasingly seek housing that allows shorter commutes to work, with sidewalks and walkable neighborhoods. This market favors older properties located near employment centers in cities and close-in older suburbs. As a result, the higher density older housing in older neighborhoods is increasing in value. These increases in value and equity can be put to work to maintain and improve these dwellings in a lead safe manner.
REALTORS® play an important part in Wisconsin’s prevention strategy
- REALTORS® can assure that families have equal access to opportunities to buy decent, well-maintained housing. Wisconsin children are more likely to be lead poisoned if they are low income or if they are African American, Hispanic or Asian.
- REALTORS® can take an active role with clients buying or selling older dwellings. Under federal law, owners of dwellings built before 1978 must notify prospective buyers or renters about lead hazards and potential lead hazards and provide available test results about lead or lead hazards. Every buyer and renter must get a copy of the “Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home” brochure (www.hud.gov/offices/lead/outreach/leapame.pdf). REALTORS® can encourage clients to talk about this brochure and to ask questions.
- REALTORS® can tell clients that lead hazards can and should be addressed through renovation and that lead-safe work practices are important. Wisconsin’s REALTORS® can encourage sellers and buyers to work safely and to replace windows, install siding and stabilize painted surfaces. These changes will increase property values and protect children from lead paint hazards.
- REALTORS® can encourage buyers to get home inspections that look for lead and lead hazards in older properties. REALTORS® can encourage sellers to offer warranties or homebuyer protection plans that insure against lead hazards.
- REALTORS® can encourage buyers and sellers to get training or guidance about how to control lead hazards, such as copies of “Lead Paint Safety, A Field Guide,” (www.hud.gov/offices/lead/training/LBPguide.pdf) or more information at dhfs.wisconsin.gov/lead/Forms_Pub/Alpha.htm.
- REALTORS® can refer clients to the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, Bureau of Housing for funding contacts. See commerce.wi.gov/housing/cd-boh-home.html.
- REALTORS® can answer National Association of REALTORS® President Thomas Stevens’ call to partner with other community leaders to find solutions to the growing shortages of affordable housing.
Joseph Schirmer is with the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, specializing in lead poisoning in children.