Safe Housing

Unsafe housing, especially where lead poisoning is involved, comes at a cost paid by all of us. The resulting health complications not only cause significant personal suffering, but also undermine community efforts to increase literacy rates, encourage high school completion and foster successful careers. Our LeadSafeCNY initiative, along with other grantmaking and initiative efforts, are helping put an end to this injustice and give our next generation of residents hope for a brighter future.

Here is a sample of what we accomplish when we combine the generosity of our donors with the hard work of our community partners. With your help, we can do more.

Our Impact

1,743/165

Windows and Doors Replaced

226

Safe & Affordable Rental Units Constructed or Renovated

1,000s

Residents Informed on Lead Poisoning

281

Individuals Trained on Proper Lead Paint Removal

What We're Doing

Housing

The availability of affordable housing, free of lead and other safety hazards, expands opportunities for families to find a home they can trust. We’ve helped:

Build new, lead-free affordable rental apartments on Syracuse’s Northside
Backstop mortgages of single-family homes newly constructed on vacant properties in Syracuse
Provide relocation assistance to families of children with elevated blood lead levels

Renovations

Renovations to repair safety hazards and remove lead paint in high traffic friction areas can significantly reduce the risks families are regularly exposed to. We’ve helped:

Pilot a no-cost window and exterior door replacement program for low-income rental property tenants
Assist low- to moderate-income Syracuse households in using less energy and creating homes free of health and safety hazards
Renovate and remediate lead in affordable housing for those forced to move as a result of the I-81 transition

Education & Awareness

Community outreach to increase public awareness of lead poisoning risks and prevention strategies is critical to helping residents take the proper precautions for the safety of their families. We’ve helped:

Develop a Healthy Homes website
Educate residents on the importance of lead testing and remediation
Deliver public service announcements on the dangers of lead poisoning

Workforce Development

Proper training is necessary to ensure lead and other safety hazards are adequately addressed to lower the risk to residents. We’ve helped:

Train EPA-certified contractors for the safe removal of lead in homes
Educate landlords on the importance and process of lead removal from properties

Public Policy & Advocacy

By advocating for effective housing code enforcement and conducting research to support meaningful legislation, we can make meaningful long-term change for generations of residents. We’ve helped:

Endorse a lead ordinance that makes the presence of lead a housing code violation in the city of Syracuse
View our whitepaper about the ordinance
Bring together community members, public officials and local residents for a forum regarding the ways in which lead poisoning can easily go undetected
Share lead poisoning data, provided by the Onondaga County Health Department, with the public on CNY Vitals.
Influence statewide legislation that reduces lead poisoning across New York State

Convene the LeadSafeCNY Task Force, a collection of residents, nonprofit organizations, legislators and thought leaders to strategize how to end local childhood lead poisoning in an impactful way