The City of Galesburg will be receiving a $500,000 grant to help low-income families in older homes control lead hazards.City Council last night approved an agreement with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, which has already approved Galesburg for the Help Eliminate Lead Program grant.
“It’s center around lead paint hazards but it could be exterior or interior,” says Director of Planning and Public Works Wayne Carl. “Windows, molding around windows, door molding, exterior of the house, siding and that kind of thing.”
who says the grant should address 25 homes at a cost of $20,000 per home.
The city held a public hearing in the fall to get input from residents.
Galesburg is the only city that’s applying for and receiving this grant.
Carl says that he anticipates approval of another $200,000 grant from the state in the coming months.
That would fund blood tests for willing residents, conducted by the University of Chicago, before and after the lead mitigation efforts are undertaken.
The purpose of this is to see where money is best spent in mitigating lead hazards.
