Safer Homes for Flint: $7.5M Federal Grant to Remove Health and Safety Hazards

Flint families are getting much-needed support to ensure their living spaces are safe, healthy, and welcoming.

According to an announcement from the Flint Housing Commission, the city has secured over $7.5 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The funding is divided into two key allocations to tackle serious environmental hazards in public housing.

A $4.1 million grant from the Housing-Related Hazards Capital Fund Program will address structural and environmental safety issues across properties.

An additional $3.46 million grant from the Lead-Based Paint Capital Fund Program will go directly toward removing lead hazards.

The primary goal over the four-year initiative is to eliminate hazards like toxic mold, excess moisture, fire risks, and lingering lead paint.

Children under six face the highest risk of long-term developmental harm from lead exposure, making this cleanup especially crucial, according to health guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Aging structures are a primary source of concern, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notes that homes built before 1978 are significantly more likely to contain lead-based paint.

Planned upgrades include comprehensive lead risk assessments, moisture controls, upgraded ventilation, fire-rated doors, and updated smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Beyond improving living conditions, the grant work is designed to directly invest back into the local workforce.

The commission plans to connect local residents, contractors, and remediation specialists with employment and training opportunities created by these remediation projects.

Preparatory environmental reviews and inspections are scheduled to begin in the coming months, with construction and hazard reduction work following shortly after.

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