Lead-Based Paint and Housing Database

McMillan & Moss Research is developing a database to identify houses in North Carolina with a high probability of containing lead-based paint. The presence of lead-based paint and lead-contaminated house dust is associated with preventable long-term health problems, such as retarded growth, IQ deficits, behavior disorders, kidney damage, and impaired hearing. Blood lead levels are highest among persons 1 to 2 years old and those over 50 years old, with differences in risk most closely associated with the age of the individual's housing. Age of housing is the key variable because the date of construction reflects the probability that lead paint is present. For example, lead paint is present in almost all houses built before 1950 and in most houses built before 1978. Over 784,000 North Carolina homes meet these criteria, and demand is increasing for cost-effective ways to target people at risk of lead exposure. MMR's database combines census tract records and county property tax data and can be a unique resource in responding to this pressing social need.

The Lead Risk database has both public and private applications. The database can assist government agencies in developing screening programs by identifying specific houses with a high probability of containing lead paint. Private markets include real estate and environmental due diligence, environmental justice litigators, mortgage lenders, distributors of lead hazard management supplies, lead paint testing and abatement contractors, private physicians' practices, and schools.

MMR also has more specific housing data for some counties of North Carolina. This includes information on whether a house has air conditioning, bathrooms, and other features. This information is relevant for organizatons working to control diseases, such as asthma, which are affected by environmental conditions. McMillan & Moss Research's Lead-based Paint and Housing Database is supported by a Small Business Innovative Research grant from the National Institutes of Health.

 

Houses Likely to Contain Lead Paint Hazards With Racial Composition Census Block Groups

Chapel Hill   Hillsborough
 

For larger (35k) views of the images above click on the images themselves

 

Lead Poison Information Links:

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National Center for Lead-Safe Housing and Children's Environmental Health www.cehn.org/cehn/resourceguide/nclsh.html
HUD Office of Lead hazard control www.hud.gov/lea/leagrant.html
National Lead Information Center (Spanish and English) www.nsc.htm
The National Latino Lead Education Campaign www.nsc.org/ehc/nlic/nllec.htm

National Lead info Hotline and Clearinghouse (1-800-424-LEAD)

www.epa.gov/lead/nloc.htm
Maintaining a Lead Free Homewww.aeclp.org/2/safehome.html

For more information, contact Ann Joyner ann@mcmoss.org